Population 43,771 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jackson County
Household size in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.18 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Jackson County is a place of small households, averaging 2.18 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Only seven of North Carolina's 100 counties 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Jackson County are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southeast.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Jackson County as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 2.9 points since 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 Jackson County
Renters in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.6% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.7% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.2% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Jackson County than nationally: 39.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Just over six in ten owners (62.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few North Carolina counties have a higher share of renters: only eight of 100.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.5% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.9% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 23.3% of the housing in Jackson County, 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 6.2 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Jackson County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the north 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $637 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $694 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $787 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $960 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$322 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Jackson County pays $960 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $322 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the southeast.
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 Jackson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.8% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.3% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Jackson County than nationally: 32.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.2% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.7% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Jackson County have finished high school (91.7%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 9.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Jackson County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina counties.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Jackson County is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 2.18 | 40.8 | 11.4% | 39.2% | 23.3% | 1991 | $960 | 32.3% | 91.7% | 5.5% |
| Swain County | 2.31 | 41.5 | 15.2% | 27.3% | 27.3% | 1989 | $703 | 21.4% | 86.8% | 7.9% |
| Transylvania County | 2.27 | 49.5 | 8.8% | 25.3% | 20.7% | 1982 | $1,225 | 38.9% | 93.7% | 2.8% |
| Graham County | 2.33 | 45.1 | 9.3% | 19.3% | 27.4% | 1988 | $660 | 17.0% | 87.8% | 6.8% |
| Henderson County | 2.37 | 47.1 | 10.5% | 25.0% | 11.9% | 1989 | $1,256 | 35.6% | 90.9% | 3.5% |
| Polk County | 2.22 | 52.9 | 7.8% | 23.1% | 17.9% | 1984 | $1,310 | 34.3% | 92.3% | 5.2% |
| Rutherford County | 2.44 | 44.9 | 12.5% | 26.1% | 15.9% | 1981 | $815 | 21.2% | 87.4% | 6.0% |
| McMinn County | 2.55 | 43.2 | 12.8% | 24.2% | 12.5% | 1981 | $864 | 18.6% | 87.4% | 5.0% |
| Cleveland County | 2.62 | 41.4 | 13.9% | 29.1% | 12.7% | 1980 | $966 | 21.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
| Lincoln County | 2.56 | 44.8 | 10.2% | 21.1% | 7.4% | 1993 | $1,145 | 29.3% | 90.0% | 3.6% |
| Gaston County | 2.52 | 40.2 | 13.9% | 33.2% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,249 | 26.9% | 88.5% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Steele County, MN · Duplin County, NC · Dyer County, TN · Effingham County, IL · Emmet County, MI · Fannin County, TX · Floyd County, KY · Ford County, KS · Fulton County, IL · Sioux County, IA
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 Jackson 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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