Population 100,991 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cleveland County
Household size in Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, Cleveland County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in North Carolina overall, where it has 2.52 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.54, even as the national average fell.
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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.0 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.4 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
At 41.4, the median age in Cleveland County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Cleveland County (13.9%), above the national share of 11.6%. Cleveland County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five North Carolina counties.
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 Cleveland County
Renters in Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Cleveland County rent their homes (29.1%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About half of owners (48.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. The renter share is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.2% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Cleveland County: 12.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 0.9 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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Cleveland 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 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $622 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $655 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $714 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $966 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$343 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cleveland County pays $966 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $343 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Cleveland County
Bachelor's degrees in Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.8% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.7% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Cleveland 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 has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.2% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Cleveland County have finished high school as nationally: 88.2%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in North Carolina as a whole (90.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 8.4 points, 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 Cleveland County
| Period | Cleveland County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Cleveland County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 7.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Cleveland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | 2.62 | 41.4 | 13.9% | 29.1% | 12.7% | 1980 | $966 | 21.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
| Gaston County | 2.52 | 40.2 | 13.9% | 33.2% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,249 | 26.9% | 88.5% | 4.9% |
| Rutherford County | 2.44 | 44.9 | 12.5% | 26.1% | 15.9% | 1981 | $815 | 21.2% | 87.4% | 6.0% |
| Polk County | 2.22 | 52.9 | 7.8% | 23.1% | 17.9% | 1984 | $1,310 | 34.3% | 92.3% | 5.2% |
| Mecklenburg County | 2.53 | 36.5 | 11.5% | 44.9% | 8.1% | 1995 | $1,767 | 49.0% | 90.4% | 4.2% |
| Cabarrus County | 2.85 | 38.2 | 11.3% | 28.8% | 10.6% | 1993 | $1,628 | 38.9% | 92.0% | 4.6% |
| Henderson County | 2.37 | 47.1 | 10.5% | 25.0% | 11.9% | 1989 | $1,256 | 35.6% | 90.9% | 3.5% |
| Transylvania County | 2.27 | 49.5 | 8.8% | 25.3% | 20.7% | 1982 | $1,225 | 38.9% | 93.7% | 2.8% |
| Stanly County | 2.53 | 41.3 | 11.4% | 25.5% | 11.0% | 1976 | $898 | 19.4% | 88.0% | 4.4% |
| Montgomery County | 2.41 | 44.4 | 12.4% | 25.0% | 24.2% | 1983 | $789 | 19.3% | 85.0% | 3.3% |
| Jackson County | 2.18 | 40.8 | 11.4% | 39.2% | 23.3% | 1991 | $960 | 32.3% | 91.7% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cecil County, MD · Bay County, MI · Navajo County, AZ · Montgomery County, VA · Pottawattamie County, IA · Portsmouth City, VA · Platte County, MO · Pennington County, SD · Northumberland County, PA · Nevada County, CA
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 Cleveland 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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