Dobson, NC

Census Place

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2024 Population
1,652
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
35.8
5.54% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
22.4%
39.7% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$43,750
1.75% 1-year decline
2024 Median Property Value
$173,900
3.33% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
585
7.93% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Dobson, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

91.2% of the residents in Dobson, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Dobson, NC are Surry Community College (861 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Dobson, NC was $173,900, and the homeownership rate was 48.7%.

Most people in Dobson, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18 minutes. The average car ownership in Dobson, NC was 2 cars per household.

United StatesNorth CarolinaSurry County, NCMount Airy, NCWilkesboro High Country--Surry, Wilkes & Alleghany Counties PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Dobson, NC is home to a population of 1.65k people, from which 91.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 11.3% of Dobson, NC residents were born outside of the country (186 people).

In 2024, there were 5.36 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1k people) in Dobson, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 187 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 163 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

91.2%
2024 Citizenship
91.2%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 91.2% of Dobson, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Dobson, NC was 91.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Dobson, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Dobson, NC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    1k ± 270
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    187 ± 165
  3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    163 ± 150
21.6%
Hispanic Population
357 people

In 2024, there were 5.36 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1k people) in Dobson, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 187 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 163 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

21.6% of the people in Dobson, NC are hispanic (357 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Dobson, NC as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    224,963 ± 11,520 people
  2. India
    83,219 ± 7,055 people
  3. Honduras
    48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

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Foreign-Born Population

11.3%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
186 people
9.34%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
142 people

As of 2024, 11.3% of Dobson, NC residents (186 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Dobson, NC was 9.34%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Dobson, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (1990s)
    22 ± 29
  2. Vietnam
    21 ± 26
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    7 ± 23

Dobson, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (1990s), 1.05 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Dobson, NC.

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Economy

The economy of Dobson, NC employs 585 people. In 2024, the largest industries in Dobson, NC were Manufacturing (189 people), Educational Services (70 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (61 people), and the highest paying industries were Public Administration ($83,208), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,750), and Health Care & Social Assistance ($60,250).

Employment

Occupations

585
2024 Value
± 149
7.93%
1 Year growth
± 33.2%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Dobson, NC grew at a rate of 7.93%, from 542 employees to 585 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Dobson, NC, are Production Occupations (110 people), Management Occupations (107 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (45 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Dobson, NC.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

585
2024 Value
± 149
7.93%
1 Year growth
± 33.2%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Dobson, NC grew at a rate of 7.93%, from 542 employees to 585 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Dobson, NC, are Manufacturing (189 people), Educational Services (70 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (61 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Dobson, NC, though some of these residents may live in Dobson, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$46,382
Median earning men ± $13,806
$36,667
Median earning women ± $10,288

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($68,750), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($63,819), and Retail Trade ($55,625).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($83,542), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($51,250), and Manufacturing ($29,870).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
Y-Axis
3.04%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Dobson, NC awarded 861 degrees. The student population of Dobson, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 1,077 male students and 1,681 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Dobson, NC are White (622 and 72.2%), Hispanic or Latino (157 and 18.2%), Unknown (41 and 4.76%), and Black or African American (18 and 2.09%).

The largest universities in Dobson, NC by number of degrees awarded are Surry Community College (861 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Dobson, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (196 and 22.8%), General Business Administration & Management (102 and 11.8%), and Accounting & Finance (57 and 6.62%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 2,758 students enrolled in Dobson, NC, 39.1% men and 60.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,924 records, of which 60% were women and 40% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    196 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    27 degrees awarded
  3. General Business Administration & Management
    19 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Dobson, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 196 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Dobson, NC according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Surry Community College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
861 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Surry Community College with 861 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 384 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Dobson, NC, which is 0.805 times less than the 477 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 622 degrees mean that there were 3.96 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 157 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($113) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,700) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Dobson, NC was $173,900 in 2024, which is 0.523 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $168,300 to $173,900, a 3.33% increase. The homeownership rate in Dobson, NC is 48.7%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Dobson, NC have an average commute time of 18 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Dobson, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$173,900
Median Property Value 2024
±$95,804
$289
Median Property Taxes
±$97

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Dobson, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Dobson, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

48.7%
Homeownership
2024
74.1%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 48.7% of the housing units in Dobson, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 41.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Dobson, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$43,750
Median Household Income
± $18,601
593
Number of Households
± 134

In 2024, the median household income of the 593 households in Dobson, NC declined from $43,750 from the previous year's value of $44,531.

The following chart displays the households in Dobson, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Dobson, NC is from North Carolina.
0.467
2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (61.4%)
  2. Carpooled (30%)
  3. Worked At Home (5.4%)

In 2024, 61.4% of workers in Dobson, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (30%) and those who worked at home (5.4%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

18 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Dobson, NC have a shorter commute time (18 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.357% of the workforce in Dobson, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Dobson, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Dobson, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Dobson, NC have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

22.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Dobson, NC (298 out of 1.33k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 12 - 14, followed by Males 65 - 74 and then Females 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Dobson, NC is Hispanic, followed by Two Or More and White.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

87.6% of the population of Dobson, NC has health coverage, with 46.2% on employee plans, 20.7% on Medicaid, 11.2% on Medicare, 7.87% on non-group plans, and 1.67% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.8% were men and 48.2% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 20.3% between 18 and 34 years, 34.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.8% were men and 48.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

12.4%
Uninsured
46.2%
Employer Coverage
20.7%
Medicaid
11.2%
Medicare
7.87%
Non-Group
1.67%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Dobson, NC grew by 2.31% from 12.1% to 12.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Dobson, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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