Population 30,516 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mecklenburg County
Household size in Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.18 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.31 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Mecklenburg County are small: just 2.18 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 dropped from 2.49, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Virginia counties have smaller households: only seven of 133.
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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.4 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Mecklenburg County skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.2, 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 45.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Mecklenburg County as they are nationally: 12.6%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Virginia overall (10.7%).
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 Mecklenburg County
Renters in Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.9% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.8% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.7% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly a third of households in Mecklenburg County rent their homes (31.7%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 52.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the south. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Mecklenburg County: 25.3% 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 has fallen 3.1 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Mecklenburg County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $605 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $648 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $709 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $845 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$240 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Mecklenburg County runs $845 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $240 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.9% of household income on rent, just 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 northwest; 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 Mecklenburg County
Bachelor's degrees in Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.1% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.0% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mecklenburg County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest 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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.4% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.3% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.3 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Mecklenburg County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 10.3 points, 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 Mecklenburg County
| Period | Mecklenburg County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Mecklenburg County has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 6.0 points since 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).
Mecklenburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 2.18 | 48.2 | 12.6% | 31.7% | 25.3% | 1981 | $845 | 20.0% | 85.8% | 3.0% |
| Brunswick County | 2.16 | 45.7 | 17.4% | 25.6% | 18.8% | 1980 | $954 | 16.9% | 82.9% | 3.7% |
| Halifax County | 2.46 | 46.1 | 13.9% | 25.4% | 21.2% | 1976 | $876 | 19.3% | 83.4% | 4.1% |
| Emporia City | 2.45 | 37.3 | 22.6% | 61.9% | 21.1% | 1961 | $1,029 | 17.9% | 80.4% | 2.6% |
| Greensville County | 2.57 | 41.9 | 22.4% | 33.7% | 19.6% | 1982 | $1,024 | 16.3% | 81.5% | 5.8% |
| Pittsylvania County | 2.36 | 47.6 | 11.7% | 21.3% | 14.4% | 1981 | $876 | 16.0% | 85.7% | 4.5% |
| Danville City | 2.18 | 40.8 | 16.1% | 52.2% | 14.2% | 1962 | $861 | 19.3% | 86.8% | 5.5% |
| Southampton County | 2.38 | 47.8 | 10.1% | 23.9% | 10.6% | 1983 | $1,018 | 20.3% | 87.8% | 5.6% |
| Franklin City | 2.35 | 38.3 | 20.0% | 46.1% | 13.4% | 1968 | $1,121 | 26.9% | 85.7% | 9.0% |
| Martinsville City | 2.42 | 37.4 | 15.6% | 44.6% | 17.8% | 1957 | $828 | 22.2% | 88.5% | 3.0% |
| Henry County | 2.37 | 47.7 | 10.8% | 24.8% | 16.2% | 1974 | $784 | 15.9% | 84.3% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lampasas County, TX · Pulaski County, VA · Prince Edward County, VA · Preston County, WV · Prentiss County, MS · Powhatan County, VA · Pottawatomie County, KS · Lawrence County, SD · Lawrence County, MO · Lawrence County, AL
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 Mecklenburg 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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