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 — Burke County
- What is the median household income in Burke County?
- The median household income in Burke County is $66,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Burke County?
- The poverty rate in Burke County is 7.1% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Burke County?
- $188,800 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Burke County?
- The median gross rent in Burke County is $1,250 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Burke County residents have a college degree?
- 4.7% of adults in Burke County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
1,678
Median Income
$66,500
Median Home Value
$188,800
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
0.0%
Median Age
44.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$11,917 (+21.8%)
Home Value:
+$65,900 (+53.6%)
Poverty Rate:
-4.4 pp (-38.3%)
Bachelor's+:
-6.6 pp (-58.4%)
Unemployment:
-3.7 pp (-100%)
Demographics
Total Population
1,678
Median Age
44.0
Female
43.9%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
White (non-Hisp.) 92.1%
Two or More 5.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$66,500
±$27,905
-$3,404 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$77,623
Median Family Income
$91,364
Poverty Rate
7.1%
-2.3 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
0.0%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
21.3%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
19.2%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
13.5%
$10–15k
18.2%
$15–25k
2.7%
$35–50k
5.3%
$50–75k
13.0%
$75–100k
28.7%
$100–150k
10.8%
$150–200k
7.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
714
Owner-Occupied
82.7%
Renter-Occupied
17.3%
Vacancy Rate
16.0%
Median Home Value
$188,800
-$70,600 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,250
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
7.5%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
0.0%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
7.7%
$50–100k
21.4%
$100–200k
7.3%
$200–300k
24.6%
$300–500k
15.9%
$1M+
4.0%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
15.4%
$500–1k
17.3%
$1–1.5k
67.3%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
8.3%
1 vehicle
25.3%
2 vehicles
35.7%
3+
30.7%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
70.4%
Mobile home
27.3%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
3.2%
1940–1969
2.9%
1970–1999
9.8%
2000–2009
40.3%
2010+
2.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
86.2%
Bachelor's or Higher
4.7%
-30.0 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
0.0%
Some College / Associate
23.7%
Less Than High School
2.2%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
51.7%
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
-4.8 pp vs. state
Work from Home
3.0%
Self-Employed
6.4%
Government Workers
15.7%
Private For-Profit
74.9%
Industry
Edu/Health
21.1%
Construction
20.4%
Manufacturing
15.7%
Retail
10.2%
Arts/Entmt.
9.2%
Transportation
8.3%
Public Admin
6.9%
Prof. Services
4.8%
Finance
1.5%
Occupation
Construction
22.6%
Production
22.0%
Sales
19.0%
Management
18.4%
Food Prep
18.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
33.3 min
Drove Alone
84.1%
Carpool
4.9%
Public Transit
5.2%
Work from Home
3.0%
Walked
0.0%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
600
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
54.5%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
26.3%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.8%
5–9
2.5%
10–14
9.4%
15–19
10.1%
20–24
1.1%
25–34
7.3%
35–44
15.3%
45–54
11.4%
55–64
10.9%
65–74
15.5%
75–84
7.0%
85+
2.7%
Under 18: 28.8%
Working age (18–64): 71.2%
65 and over: 9.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
0.0%
Naturalized Citizen
50.6%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.0%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
56.6%
Asia
35.4%
Europe
6.2%
Africa
0.2%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
17.7%
With a Disability
20.7%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
89.6%
Uninsured
10.4%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
69.3%
Has a Computer
72.2%
Same House 1 Year Ago
95.5%
Moved from Abroad
0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Burke County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Burke County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Catawba County | 403 | 777 |
| Other flows - South | 318 | 608 |
| Caldwell County | 287 | 533 |
| McDowell County | 169 | 345 |
| Other flows - West | 114 | 183 |
| Other flows - Northeast | 84 | 151 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 81 | 153 |
| Mecklenburg County | 79 | 115 |
| Buncombe County | 66 | 106 |
| Lincoln County | 38 | 68 |