Morganton, NC

Census Place

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2024 Population
17,646
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
37.8
1.82% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
25.7%
13.9% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$51,355
3.89% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$221,700
6.43% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
7,528
2.35% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Morganton, 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.

93.2% of the residents in Morganton, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Morganton, NC are Western Piedmont Community College (569 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Morganton, NC was $221,700, and the homeownership rate was 54.7%.

Most people in Morganton, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Morganton, NC was 2 cars per household.

United StatesNorth CarolinaBurke County, NCHickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NCBurke & McDowell Counties PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Morganton, NC is home to a population of 17.6k people, from which 93.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 10.6% of Morganton, NC residents were born outside of the country (1.87k people).

In 2024, there were 4.08 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (10.3k people) in Morganton, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.52k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.18k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.2%
2024 Citizenship
91.1%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 93.2% of Morganton, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Morganton, NC was 91.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Morganton, 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 Morganton, NC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    10.3k ± 728
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    2.52k ± 536
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    2.18k ± 742
22.6%
Hispanic Population
3.98k people

In 2024, there were 4.08 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (10.3k people) in Morganton, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.52k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.18k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

22.6% of the people in Morganton, NC are hispanic (3.98k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Morganton, 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

10.6%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
1.87k people
12.4%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
2.17k people

As of 2024, 10.6% of Morganton, NC residents (1.87k 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 Morganton, NC was 12.4%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    278 ± 116
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    145 ± 89
  3. Korea
    45 ± 43

Morganton, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.92 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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Economy

The economy of Morganton, NC employs 7.53k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Morganton, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,618 people), Manufacturing (1,480 people), and Retail Trade (846 people), and the highest paying industries were Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,909), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,920), and Finance & Insurance ($61,563).

Employment

Occupations

7.53k
2024 Value
± 772
2.35%
1 Year growth
± 14%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Morganton, NC grew at a rate of 2.35%, from 7.36k employees to 7.53k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Morganton, NC, are Production Occupations (1,155 people), Sales & Related Occupations (632 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (623 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Morganton, 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

7.53k
2024 Value
± 772
2.35%
1 Year growth
± 14%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Morganton, NC grew at a rate of 2.35%, from 7.36k employees to 7.53k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Morganton, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,618 people), Manufacturing (1,480 people), and Retail Trade (846 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Morganton, NC, though some of these residents may live in Morganton, 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

$33,567
Median earning men ± $9,608
$32,230
Median earning women ± $3,026

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($147,614), Wholesale Trade ($70,455), and Public Administration ($59,087).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,625), Manufacturing ($38,562), and Public Administration ($36,071).

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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 Morganton, NC awarded 569 degrees. The student population of Morganton, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 678 male students and 1,113 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Morganton, NC are White (430 and 76.1%), Hispanic or Latino (67 and 11.9%), Black or African American (36 and 6.37%), and Asian (28 and 4.96%).

The largest universities in Morganton, NC by number of degrees awarded are Western Piedmont Community College (569 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Morganton, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (141 and 24.8%), General Cosmetology (62 and 10.9%), and Criminal Justice - Police Science (27 and 4.75%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 1,791 students enrolled in Morganton, NC, 37.9% men and 62.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,276 records, of which 63.2% were women and 36.8% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    141 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    18 degrees awarded
  3. General Cosmetology
    18 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Morganton, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 141 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Western Piedmont Community College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
569 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Western Piedmont Community College with 569 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 202 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Morganton, NC, which is 0.55 times less than the 367 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 430 degrees mean that there were 6.42 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 67 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 ($218) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,400) 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 Morganton, NC was $221,700 in 2024, which is 0.666 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $208,300 to $221,700, a 6.43% increase. The homeownership rate in Morganton, NC is 54.7%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Morganton, NC have an average commute time of 17.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Morganton, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$221,700
Median Property Value 2024
±$21,415
$3,766
Median Property Taxes
±$467

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 Morganton, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

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Rent vs Own

54.7%
Homeownership
2024
69.6%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 54.7% of the housing units in Morganton, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 51.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Morganton, 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.
$51,355
Median Household Income
± $2,582
6.89k
Number of Households
± 696

In 2024, the median household income of the 6.89k households in Morganton, NC grew to $51,355 from the previous year's value of $49,434.

The following chart displays the households in Morganton, 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 $50k - $60k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Morganton, 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 (75.6%)
  2. Carpooled (14.9%)
  3. Worked At Home (8.12%)

In 2024, 75.6% of workers in Morganton, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (14.9%) and those who worked at home (8.12%).

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

17.7 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Morganton, NC have a shorter commute time (17.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.01% of the workforce in Morganton, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Morganton, 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 Morganton, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Morganton, NC have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

25.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Morganton, NC (4.33k out of 16.8k 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 Males < 5, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Morganton, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

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

81.6% of the population of Morganton, NC has health coverage, with 31% on employee plans, 26.5% on Medicaid, 13.8% on Medicare, 9.09% on non-group plans, and 1.16% 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, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.2% under 18 years, 23.4% between 18 and 34 years, 29.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

18.4%
Uninsured
31%
Employer Coverage
26.5%
Medicaid
13.8%
Medicare
9.09%
Non-Group
1.16%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Morganton, NC declined by 4.69% from 19.3% to 18.4%.

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

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