Population 87,795 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Burke County
Household size in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Burke County are small: just 2.38 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.51 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.4 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Burke County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.5 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Burke County than nationally: 10.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Burke County
Renters in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.9% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.3% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.5% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Burke County rent their homes (25.5%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Nearly half of owners (46.7%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Burke County is close to the national rate: 9.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 3.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Burke County was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are older than in North Carolina as a whole, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $581 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $619 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $678 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $912 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$331 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Burke County pays $912 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $331 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Burke County
Bachelor's degrees in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.7% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Burke County: 21.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.7% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Burke County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 10.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Burke County
| Period | Burke County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Burke County than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.3 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Burke County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | 2.38 | 44.4 | 10.1% | 25.5% | 9.9% | 1980 | $912 | 21.7% | 85.7% | 4.4% |
| Caldwell County | 2.49 | 43.9 | 13.4% | 26.5% | 12.5% | 1980 | $799 | 19.3% | 85.0% | 5.2% |
| McDowell County | 2.38 | 44.8 | 10.8% | 24.4% | 14.5% | 1983 | $823 | 17.4% | 85.4% | 3.9% |
| Catawba County | 2.48 | 41.6 | 12.8% | 27.8% | 9.8% | 1984 | $1,007 | 25.9% | 88.0% | 3.7% |
| Alexander County | 2.48 | 45.1 | 10.7% | 19.3% | 14.4% | 1985 | $774 | 16.9% | 85.7% | 4.6% |
| Iredell County | 2.62 | 40.9 | 10.5% | 28.1% | 9.3% | 1994 | $1,373 | 35.2% | 91.8% | 4.2% |
| Madison County | 2.57 | 45.4 | 9.7% | 22.5% | 25.2% | 1986 | $880 | 32.3% | 89.7% | 2.6% |
| Rowan County | 2.52 | 41.4 | 12.7% | 27.7% | 9.9% | 1981 | $1,054 | 23.0% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Davidson County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 11.7% | 25.6% | 9.5% | 1985 | $980 | 21.5% | 88.4% | 4.3% |
| Randolph County | 2.58 | 41.3 | 11.2% | 27.5% | 9.4% | 1985 | $915 | 17.9% | 84.3% | 3.4% |
| Sevier County | 2.51 | 43.2 | 10.5% | 29.3% | 22.0% | 1995 | $1,131 | 22.3% | 88.1% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Arecibo Municipio, PR · Island County, WA · Lafourche Parish, LA · Grand Traverse County, MI · Grafton County, NH · Lewis County, WA · Manitowoc County, WI · Mendocino County, CA · Natrona County, WY · Cascade County, MT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Burke County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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