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 — McDowell County
- What is the median household income in McDowell County?
- The median household income in McDowell County is $29,980 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in McDowell County?
- The poverty rate in McDowell County is 29.2% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in McDowell County?
- $49,200 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in McDowell County?
- The median gross rent in McDowell County is $686 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of McDowell County residents have a college degree?
- 5.7% of adults in McDowell County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
18,413
Median Income
$29,980
Median Home Value
$49,200
Poverty Rate
29.2%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
14.9%
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$2,298 (+8.3%)
Home Value:
+$14,200 (+40.6%)
Poverty Rate:
+1.1 pp (+3.9%)
Bachelor's+:
+0.3 pp (+5.6%)
Unemployment:
+2.4 pp (+19.2%)
Demographics
Total Population
18,413
Median Age
43.0
Female
46.4%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%
White (non-Hisp.) 86.7%
Black 9.2%
Asian 0.1%
Two or More 2.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$29,980
±$3,986
-$27,937 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$49,986
Median Family Income
$39,226
Poverty Rate
29.2%
+17.3 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
41.0%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
36.2%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
27.3%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
14.7%
$10–15k
11.9%
$15–25k
15.7%
$25–35k
14.1%
$35–50k
13.5%
$50–75k
12.8%
$75–100k
8.6%
$100–150k
6.5%
$150–200k
1.8%
$200k+
0.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
9,380
Owner-Occupied
75.7%
Renter-Occupied
24.3%
Vacancy Rate
30.9%
Median Home Value
$49,200
-$106,400 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$686
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
14.5%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
44.2%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
50.7%
$50–100k
31.1%
$100–200k
6.3%
$200–300k
4.0%
$300–500k
0.3%
$500k–$1M
1.0%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
27.2%
$500–1k
66.0%
$1–1.5k
6.8%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
9.9%
1 vehicle
38.8%
2 vehicles
36.4%
3+
14.9%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
70.3%
Single-fam. att.
1.7%
2–4 units
1.4%
5–19 units
0.4%
20+ units
1.1%
Mobile home
23.7%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
28.0%
1940–1969
10.6%
1970–1999
17.4%
2000–2009
6.7%
2010+
1.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
75.9%
Bachelor's or Higher
5.7%
-17.6 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
1.5%
Some College / Associate
13.9%
Less Than High School
7.9%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
28.5%
Unemployment Rate
14.9%
+9.2 pp vs. state
Work from Home
5.9%
Self-Employed
2.4%
Government Workers
23.7%
Private For-Profit
73.9%
Industry
Edu/Health
28.8%
Agriculture
13.0%
Public Admin
10.3%
Prof. Services
10.1%
Retail
9.9%
Manufacturing
5.7%
Transportation
5.5%
Arts/Entmt.
4.0%
Finance
3.9%
Construction
3.1%
Wholesale
0.6%
Information
0.5%
Occupation
Management
29.1%
Food Prep
21.5%
Sales
20.3%
Production
19.2%
Construction
9.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
34.8 min
Drove Alone
80.3%
Carpool
12.1%
Public Transit
0.1%
Work from Home
5.9%
Walked
1.1%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
6,484
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
37.7%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
9.4%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
4.2%
5–9
6.2%
10–14
4.9%
15–19
4.8%
20–24
4.7%
25–34
13.1%
35–44
13.6%
45–54
12.6%
55–64
5.8%
65–74
8.5%
75–84
14.0%
85+
5.8%
Under 18: 18.6%
Working age (18–64): 81.4%
65 and over: 21.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
1.8%
Naturalized Citizen
28.2%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
1.4%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
70.6%
Europe
13.4%
Africa
10.4%
Asia
5.6%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
5.5%
With a Disability
27.6%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
92.3%
Uninsured
7.7%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
81.5%
Has a Computer
83.5%
Same House 1 Year Ago
93.2%
Moved from Abroad
0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare McDowell County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to McDowell County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - South | 76 | 142 |
| Mercer County | 63 | 101 |