Avery County, NC

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Population

17,535

0.556% decline

Median Age

44.5


Median Household Income

$37,109

3.39% growth

Poverty Rate

14.7%


Number of Employees

6,778

4.24% growth

Median Property Value

$138,800

6.04% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Avery County, NC had a population of 17.5k people with a median age of 44.5 and a median household income of $37,109. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Avery County, NC declined from 17,633 to 17,535, a -0.556% decrease and its median household income grew from $35,891 to $37,109, a 3.39% increase.

The population of Avery County, NC is 89% White Alone, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 4.15% Black or African American Alone. N/A% of the people in Avery County, NC speak a non-English language, and 97.1% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Avery County, NC are Lees-McRae College (243 degrees awarded in 2016) and Mayland Community College (202 degrees).

The median property value in Avery County, NC is $138,800, and the homeownership rate is 77%. Most people in Avery County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 21.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Avery County, NC is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Jeremy Taylor

United StatesNorth Carolina

Economy

The economy of Avery County, NC employs 6.78k people. The largest industries in Avery County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,105 people), Educational Services (862 people), and Construction (846 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($50,341), Information ($45,511), and Public Administration ($37,917).

Median household income in Avery County, NC is $37,109. Males in Avery County, NC have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,729. The income inequality in Avery County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$37,109

2017 value

± $3,320

3.39%

1 Year Growth

± 11.2%

Households in Avery County, NC have a median annual income of $37,109, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $35,891 in 2016, which represents a 3.39% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Avery County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

$59,982

Average Male Salary

± $1,136

$44,729

Average Female Salary

± $812

In 2017, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $59,267 ± $4,472

  2. White

    $49,962 ± $811

  3. Two or More Races

    $36,539 ± $3,942

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.19 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Avery County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

0.471

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.473 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.39% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 9301

  2. Census Tract 9304

  3. Census Tract 9302

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Avery County, NC was Census Tract 9301 with a value of $45,333, followed by Census Tract 9304 and Census Tract 9302, with respective values of $40,780 and $39,754.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Avery County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Males 55 - 64

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

14.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Avery County, NC (2.15k out of 14.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 45 - 54.

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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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    2,052 ± 292

  2. Hispanic

    348 ± 148

  3. Other

    54 ± 103

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Avery County, 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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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

6.78k

2017 Value

± 596

4.24%

1 Year growth

± 11.7%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Avery County, NC grew at a rate of 4.24%, from 6.5k employees to 6.78k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Avery County, NC, are Sales & Related Occupations (766 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (654 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (634 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Avery County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Avery County, NC, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (766 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (654 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (634 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Avery County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (2.45 times higher than expected), Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (2.03 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.94 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Avery County, NC, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($84,844), Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($83,281), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($55,486).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

6.78k

2017 Value

± 596

4.24%

1 Year growth

± 11.7%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Avery County, NC grew at a rate of 4.24%, from 6.5k employees to 6.78k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Avery County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,105 people), Educational Services (862 people), and Construction (846 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Avery County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Avery County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Avery County, NC, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,105 people), Educational Services (862 people), and Construction (846 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Avery County, NC has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (2 times higher than expected), Construction (1.99 times), and Accommodation & Food Services (1.49 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Avery County, NC, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($50,341), Information ($45,511), and Public Administration ($37,917).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $50.4B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $35.3B

  3. Machinery

    $34.5B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $50.4B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($35.3B) and Machinery ($34.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina state.

$407B

2015 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

55.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound North Carolina trade was $407B. This is expected to increase 55.4% to $632B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. South Carolina

    $25.6B

  2. Georgia

    $25.4B

  3. Virginia

    $25.2B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $25.6B, followed by Georgia with $25.4B and Virginia and $25.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

83.7% of the population of Avery County, NC has health coverage, with 31.3% on employee plans, 14.9% on Medicaid, 18.2% on Medicare, 17.1% on non-group plans, and 2.25% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Avery County, NC was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Avery County, NC see 2948 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.473% decrease from the previous year (2962 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 4379 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 274 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.2%). Additionally, Hertford County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,948 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Avery County, NC see an average of 2,948 patients per year. This represents a 0.473% decrease from the previous year (2,962 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Avery County, NC in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,264

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,859

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,225

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,260

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in North Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.37%, from $7,027 to $7,264.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

16.3%

Uninsured

31.3%

Employer Coverage

14.9%

Medicaid

18.2%

Medicare

17.1%

Non-Group

2.25%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Avery County, NC declined by 9.92% from 18.1% to 16.3%.

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

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Edgecombe County

    16.2% prevalence

  2. Robeson County

    16.1% prevalence

  3. Hertford County

    16% prevalence

Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina, at 16.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Avery County, NC is home to a population of 17.5k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2017, 4% of Avery County, NC residents were born outside of the country (701 people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Avery County, NC is composed of 15.6k White Alone residents (89%), 895 Hispanic or Latino residents (5.1%), 728 Black or African American Alone residents (4.15%), 114 Two or More Races residents (0.65%), 108 Asian Alone residents (0.616%), 80 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.456%), 5 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0285%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Avery County, NC are N/A.

Age

Age by Nativity

45

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

39

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 5.8

In 2017, the median age of all people in Avery County, NC was 44.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 45, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Avery County, NC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Avery County, NC residents was 44.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

4%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

701 people

4.11%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

725 people

As of 2017, 4% of Avery County, NC residents (701 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Avery County, NC was 4.11%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    242,756 ± 11,950 people

  2. India

    60,392 ± 6,015 people

  3. Honduras

    34,513 ± 4,553 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 242,756 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 60,392 and Honduras with 34,513.

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Citizenship

97.1%

2017 Citizenship

96.5%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.1% of Avery County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Avery County, NC was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    15.6k ± 8

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    895 ± 159

  3. Black or African American Alone

    728 ± 99

In 2017, there were 17.4 times more White Alone residents (15.6k people) in Avery County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 895 Hispanic or Latino and 728 Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Avery County, NC as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  2. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  3. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

N/A% of Avery County, NC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is approximately the same as the national average of 21.8%. In N/A, the most common non-English language spoken in Avery County, NC was N/A. N/A% of the overall population of Avery County, NC are native N/A speakers. N/A% speak N/A and N/A% speak N/A, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    411 ± 105

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    131 ± 93

  3. Korea

    99 ± 45

Avery County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.14 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Avery County, NC awarded 445 degrees. The student population of Avery County, NC is skewed towards women, with 825 male students and 1,354 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Avery County, NC are White (310 and 70.1%), followed by Unknown (110 and 24.9%), Black or African American (8 and 1.81%), and Hispanic or Latino (8 and 1.81%).

The largest universities in Avery County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Lees-McRae College (243 and 54.6%) and Mayland Community College (202 and 45.4%).

The most popular majors in Avery County, NC are Registered Nursing (92 and 20.7%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (37 and 8.31%), and Elementary Education & Teaching (33 and 7.42%).

The median tuition costs in Avery County, NC are $24,878 for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Registered Nursing

    63 degrees awarded

  2. Elementary Education & Teaching

    33 degrees awarded

  3. Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration

    31 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Avery County, NC was Registered Nursing with 63 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Lees-McRae College

    243 degrees awarded

  2. Mayland Community College

    202 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$24,878

Median Private

In 2016, the Avery County, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lees-McRae College with 243 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

156

Degrees Awarded to Men

289

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 156 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Avery County, NC, which is 0.54 times less than the 289 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Avery County, NC by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    310 degrees awarded

  2. Unknown

    110 degrees awarded

  3. Black or African American

    8 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Avery County, NC were to White students. These 310 degrees mean that there were 2.82 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 110 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Avery County, NC was $138,800 in 2017, which is 0.638 times smaller than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $130,900 to $138,800, a 6.04% increase. The homeownership rate in Avery County, NC is 77%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Avery County, NC have an average commute time of 21.7 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Avery County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$37,109

Median Household Income

± $3,320

6.73k

Number of Households

± 526

In 2017, the median household income of the 6.73k households in Avery County, NC grew to $37,109 from the previous year's value of $35,891.

The following chart displays the households in Avery County, 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 $20k - $25k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$138,800

2017 Median

± $17,228

$130,900

2016 Median

± $14,567

In 2017, the median property value in Avery County, NC grew to to $138,800 from the previous year's value of $130,900.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Avery County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Avery County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Avery County, NC distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Avery County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

77%

2017 Homeownership

75.7%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 77% of the housing units in Avery County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.7%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Avery County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Avery County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Avery County, NC have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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Commute Time

21.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Avery County, NC have a shorter commute time (21.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.98% of the workforce in Avery County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    78.6%

  2. Carpooled

    12.4%

  3. Walked

    4.09%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Avery County, NC was Drove Alone (78.6%), followed by those who Carpooled (12.4%) and those who Walked (4.09%).

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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