Population 64,930 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rutherford County
Household size in Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Rutherford County run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has crept up from 2.39 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Rutherford County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.5, mirroring the country.
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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Rutherford County as they are nationally: 12.5%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in North Carolina overall (11.4%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.6 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 Rutherford County
Renters in Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.9% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.5% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Rutherford County rent their homes (26.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 52.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has fallen 2.1 points since 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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Rutherford County: 15.9% 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.
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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Rutherford County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. 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 1975 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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $545 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $628 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $660 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $815 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$270 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rutherford County pays $815 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $270 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest 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 Rutherford County
Bachelor's degrees in Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Rutherford County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.4% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Rutherford County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 8.1 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 Rutherford County
| Period | Rutherford County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.4 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rutherford County is close to the national rate: 6.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in North Carolina overall (4.8%). Unemployment has fallen 6.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Rutherford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Cleveland County | 2.62 | 41.4 | 13.9% | 29.1% | 12.7% | 1980 | $966 | 21.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
| Henderson County | 2.37 | 47.1 | 10.5% | 25.0% | 11.9% | 1989 | $1,256 | 35.6% | 90.9% | 3.5% |
| 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% |
| Transylvania County | 2.27 | 49.5 | 8.8% | 25.3% | 20.7% | 1982 | $1,225 | 38.9% | 93.7% | 2.8% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Autauga County, AL · Broomfield County, CO · Acadia Parish, LA · Boone County, IN · Belknap County, NH · Barry County, MI · Athens County, OH · Aroostook County, ME · Armstrong County, PA · Apache County, AZ
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 Rutherford 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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