County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Avery County
- What is the median household income in Avery County?
- The median household income in Avery County is $57,657 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Avery County?
- The poverty rate in Avery County is 7.1% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Avery County?
- $233,200 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Avery County?
- The median gross rent in Avery County is $791 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Avery County residents have a college degree?
- 21.9% of adults in Avery County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
17,643
Median Income
$57,657
Median Home Value
$233,200
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
4.8%
Median Age
46.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$17,317 (+42.9%)
Home Value:
+$89,200 (+61.9%)
Poverty Rate:
-4.3 pp (-37.7%)
Bachelor's+:
+1.2 pp (+5.8%)
Unemployment:
+0.2 pp (+4.3%)
Demographics
Total Population
17,643
Median Age
46.0
Female
45.4%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
White (non-Hisp.) 87.0%
Black 4.2%
Asian 0.4%
Two or More 3.7%
Other 2.9%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
0.2%
Chinese
0.1%
Korean
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
3.8%
Cuban
0.6%
Puerto Rican
0.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$57,657
±$4,054
-$12,247 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$77,231
Median Family Income
$77,762
Poverty Rate
7.1%
-2.3 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
9.5%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
10.7%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
29.5%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
4.2%
$10–15k
3.8%
$15–25k
11.2%
$25–35k
8.7%
$35–50k
16.4%
$50–75k
15.3%
$75–100k
13.8%
$100–150k
14.2%
$150–200k
5.9%
$200k+
6.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
14,051
Owner-Occupied
80.0%
Renter-Occupied
20.0%
Vacancy Rate
53.3%
Median Home Value
$233,200
-$26,200 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$791
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
20.5%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
31.9%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
12.4%
$50–100k
7.9%
$100–200k
12.0%
$200–300k
23.1%
$300–500k
21.6%
$500k–$1M
9.4%
$1M+
3.6%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
20.4%
$500–1k
52.2%
$1–1.5k
18.6%
$1.5–2k
8.4%
$2–2.5k
0.2%
$2.5–3.5k
0.3%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
4.8%
1 vehicle
30.5%
2 vehicles
38.5%
3+
26.3%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
67.5%
Single-fam. att.
0.6%
2–4 units
3.0%
5–19 units
3.5%
20+ units
6.2%
Mobile home
11.8%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
5.6%
1940–1969
4.1%
1970–1999
16.1%
2000–2009
15.3%
2010+
4.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
86.4%
Bachelor's or Higher
21.9%
-12.8 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
8.2%
Some College / Associate
23.8%
Less Than High School
4.7%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
46.2%
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
+0.0 pp vs. state
Work from Home
7.0%
Self-Employed
8.8%
Government Workers
17.7%
Private For-Profit
73.3%
Industry
Edu/Health
20.1%
Retail
13.2%
Arts/Entmt.
10.3%
Construction
10.1%
Manufacturing
8.9%
Public Admin
7.6%
Prof. Services
7.5%
Finance
5.7%
Agriculture
4.9%
Transportation
4.3%
Wholesale
1.6%
Information
0.2%
Occupation
Management
31.9%
Sales
23.6%
Food Prep
22.6%
Construction
11.3%
Production
10.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
21.9 min
Drove Alone
80.5%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
0.5%
Work from Home
7.0%
Walked
2.2%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
6,559
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
53.7%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
15.4%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
3.8%
5–9
4.2%
10–14
4.0%
15–19
6.3%
20–24
5.1%
25–34
12.3%
35–44
12.2%
45–54
14.1%
55–64
6.4%
65–74
8.5%
75–84
13.7%
85+
7.5%
Under 18: 14.6%
Working age (18–64): 85.4%
65 and over: 23.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
4.1%
Naturalized Citizen
32.5%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
1.9%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
66.0%
Europe
21.7%
Asia
4.7%
Africa
1.8%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
7.2%
With a Disability
18.1%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
85.9%
Uninsured
14.1%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
82.6%
Has a Computer
92.1%
Same House 1 Year Ago
86.4%
Moved from Abroad
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Avery County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Avery County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - South | 190 | 325 |
| Watauga County | 66 | 120 |
| Mitchell County | 32 | 55 |
| Other flows - West | 27 | 43 |
| Mecklenburg County | 20 | 36 |