Population 44,817 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in McDowell County
Household size in McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
McDowell County is a place of small households, averaging 2.38 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.50 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the west.
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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.3 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.8, McDowell County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 41.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in McDowell County (10.8%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points, 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 McDowell County
Renters in McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.4% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.4% of households in McDowell County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 50.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. The renter share is down 3.0 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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.5% of the housing in McDowell 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.
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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in McDowell County was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). 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 southeast, 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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $517 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $594 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $657 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $823 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$306 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in McDowell County pays $823 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $306 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
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 McDowell County
Bachelor's degrees in McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in McDowell County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.4%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 3.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the east.
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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.3% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.8% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in McDowell County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 6.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 McDowell County
| Period | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in McDowell County runs below the national rate: 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 5.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
McDowell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell County | 2.38 | 44.8 | 10.8% | 24.4% | 14.5% | 1983 | $823 | 17.4% | 85.4% | 3.9% |
| Burke County | 2.38 | 44.4 | 10.1% | 25.5% | 9.9% | 1980 | $912 | 21.7% | 85.7% | 4.4% |
| Buncombe County | 2.70 | 43.5 | 9.2% | 33.8% | 23.3% | 1988 | $1,316 | 45.2% | 92.6% | 4.1% |
| Catawba County | 2.48 | 41.6 | 12.8% | 27.8% | 9.8% | 1984 | $1,007 | 25.9% | 88.0% | 3.7% |
| Haywood County | 2.33 | 47.7 | 9.5% | 25.1% | 21.9% | 1980 | $1,069 | 29.6% | 91.3% | 3.3% |
| Iredell County | 2.62 | 40.9 | 10.5% | 28.1% | 9.3% | 1994 | $1,373 | 35.2% | 91.8% | 4.2% |
| Rowan County | 2.52 | 41.4 | 12.7% | 27.7% | 9.9% | 1981 | $1,054 | 23.0% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Blount County | 2.51 | 44.1 | 8.4% | 23.0% | 10.2% | 1987 | $1,111 | 28.9% | 91.3% | 3.4% |
| Randolph County | 2.58 | 41.3 | 11.2% | 27.5% | 9.4% | 1985 | $915 | 17.9% | 84.3% | 3.4% |
| Loudon County | 2.46 | 48.6 | 7.6% | 19.7% | 9.5% | 1989 | $1,058 | 29.3% | 89.5% | 2.7% |
| Monroe County | 2.44 | 44.7 | 13.3% | 27.8% | 9.9% | 1989 | $748 | 16.3% | 85.3% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Macon County, NC · Ogle County, IL · Nye County, NV · Nelson County, KY · Monroe County, WI · Mifflin County, PA · Manati Municipio, PR · Manassas City, VA · Madison County, OH · Madison County, ID
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 McDowell 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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