Population 11,286 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cullowhee
Household size in Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.09 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.93 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cullowhee are small: just 2.14 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. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.09, even as the national average fell. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only 17 have smaller households.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 27.9 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 27.7 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 26.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Cullowhee is young: half of its residents are under 26.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults in their twenties. The median age has edged down from 27.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only three are younger.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.5% of households in Cullowhee, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Cullowhee
Renters in Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.6% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 56.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.4% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 64.9% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +16.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Cullowhee: 64.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About seven in ten owners (69.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 16.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 25.4% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Cullowhee: 14.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 9.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +22 | +7 | +6 |
Cullowhee has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1998, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Cullowhee has newer homes than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $630 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $595 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $716 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $940 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$310 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cullowhee pays $940 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $310 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the center.
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 Cullowhee
Bachelor's degrees in Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.0% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −10.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Cullowhee as nationally: 34.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 10.0 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.4% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.7% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cullowhee is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 8.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Cullowhee has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of North Carolina cities.
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 Cullowhee
| Period | Cullowhee | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Cullowhee: 11.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only four of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 3.2 points, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Cullowhee compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cullowhee | 2.14 | 26.4 | 8.5% | 64.9% | 14.2% | 1998 | $940 | 34.0% | 94.2% | 11.3% |
| Forest Hills | 1.69 | 23.5 | 6.7% | 73.4% | 14.9% | 2003 | $798 | 56.5% | 96.7% | 3.8% |
| Speedwell | 2.37 | 41.5 | 2.8% | 53.8% | 22.6% | 1982 | $1,003 | 32.2% | 94.0% | 0.0% |
| East Laport | 2.18 | 41.7 | 5.7% | 50.1% | 16.7% | 1987 | $1,007 | 31.5% | 94.3% | 0.0% |
| Erastus | 2.36 | 41.8 | 2.9% | 53.2% | 23.5% | 1982 | $1,007 | 32.3% | 94.0% | 0.2% |
| Pumpkintown | 1.86 | 32.3 | 14.1% | 55.8% | 11.6% | 1989 | $814 | 29.8% | 93.1% | 1.4% |
| Webster | 2.62 | 34.2 | 25.3% | 53.0% | 7.5% | 1987 | $767 | 35.5% | 90.1% | 5.9% |
| Sylva | 2.19 | 43.1 | 13.1% | 34.9% | 15.1% | 1985 | $888 | 28.5% | 90.4% | 3.4% |
| Tuckasegee | 2.43 | 51.5 | 7.6% | 28.0% | 40.5% | 1984 | $1,081 | 29.4% | 91.8% | 1.0% |
| Dillsboro | 2.16 | 48.7 | 9.7% | 40.2% | 34.5% | 1988 | $869 | 28.0% | 92.7% | 3.8% |
| Gay | 1.85 | 47.9 | 13.0% | 1.8% | 25.8% | 1981 | $810 | 20.1% | 98.8% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West Point, UT · Redland, MD · Athol, MA · Ringwood, NJ · Playa Del Rey, CA · Rochester, IN · Rockwood, MI · Pingree Grove, IL · Westville, NJ · Weston, CT
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 Cullowhee. 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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