Burke County, NC

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Population

88,898

0.207% decline

Median Age

43.6


Median Household Income

$40,854

2.75% growth

Poverty Rate

19.3%


Number of Employees

37,149

0.735% growth

Median Property Value

$115,400

1.58% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Burke County, NC had a population of 88.9k people with a median age of 43.6 and a median household income of $40,854. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Burke County, NC declined from 89,082 to 88,898, a -0.207% decrease and its median household income grew from $39,759 to $40,854, a 2.75% increase.

The population of Burke County, NC is 82.3% White Alone, 5.92% Black or African American Alone, and 5.88% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in Burke County, NC speak a non-English language, and 97.5% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Burke County, NC are Western Piedmont Community College (464 degrees awarded in 2017).

The median property value in Burke County, NC is $115,400, and the homeownership rate is 71.5%. Most people in Burke County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 20.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Burke County, NC is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Wisemans View, NC

Photo by Joe Giordano

United StatesNorth CarolinaHickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Economy

The economy of Burke County, NC employs 37.1k people. The largest industries in Burke County, NC are Manufacturing (8,610 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,759 people), and Retail Trade (3,795 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($52,083), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($41,897), and Finance & Insurance ($41,886).

Median household income in Burke County, NC is $40,854. Males in Burke 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 Burke County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$40,854

2017 value

± $1,572

2.75%

1 Year Growth

± 5.59%

Households in Burke County, NC have a median annual income of $40,854, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $39,759 in 2016, which represents a 2.75% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Burke 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 Burke 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 202.02

  2. Census Tract 202.01

  3. Census Tract 205

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Burke County, NC was Census Tract 202.02 with a value of $50,034, followed by Census Tract 202.01 and Census Tract 205, with respective values of $49,714 and $49,255.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

19.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Burke County, NC (16.7k out of 86.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 35 - 44.

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

    13,039 ± 783

  2. Hispanic

    1,973 ± 374

  3. Other

    1,604 ± 353

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Burke 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

37.1k

2017 Value

± 1,345

0.735%

1 Year growth

± 5.02%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Burke County, NC grew at a rate of 0.735%, from 36.9k employees to 37.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Burke County, NC, are Production Occupations (5,637 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,235 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,879 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Burke County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Burke County, NC, by number of employees, are Production Occupations (5,637 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,235 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,879 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Burke County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Production Occupations (2.62 times higher than expected), Healthcare Support Occupations (1.68 times), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (1.4 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Burke County, NC, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($80,227), Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($61,076), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($54,453).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

37.1k

2017 Value

± 1,345

0.735%

1 Year growth

± 5.02%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Burke County, NC grew at a rate of 0.735%, from 36.9k employees to 37.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Burke County, NC, are Manufacturing (8,610 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,759 people), and Retail Trade (3,795 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Burke County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Burke 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 Burke County, NC, by number of employees, are Manufacturing (8,610 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,759 people), and Retail Trade (3,795 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Burke County, NC has an unusually high number of Manufacturing (2.29 times higher than expected), Health Care & Social Assistance (1.31 times), and Accommodation & Food Services (1.06 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Burke County, NC, by median earnings, are Utilities ($52,083), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($41,897), and Finance & Insurance ($41,886).

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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

    $54.9B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $41.2B

  3. Machinery

    $40B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $54.9B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($41.2B) and Machinery ($40B).

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.

$443B

2020 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

42.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $443B. This is expected to increase 42.7% 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

    $28.4B

  2. Virginia

    $28.1B

  3. Georgia

    $28B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $28.4B, followed by Virginia with $28.1B and Georgia and $28B.

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

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Health

87% of the population of Burke County, NC has health coverage, with 38.2% on employee plans, 19.8% on Medicaid, 14.4% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 2.12% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in Burke County, NC see 1890 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.39% increase from the previous year (1864 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2338 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 406 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

1,890 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Burke County, NC see an average of 1,890 patients per year. This represents a 1.39% increase from the previous year (1,864 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Burke 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

13%

Uninsured

38.2%

Employer Coverage

19.8%

Medicaid

14.4%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

2.12%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Burke County, NC declined by 6.02% from 13.8% to 13%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Burke 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

Burke County, NC is home to a population of 88.9k people, from which 97.5% are citizens. As of 2017, 4.29% of Burke County, NC residents were born outside of the country (3.81k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Burke County, NC is composed of 73.2k White Alone residents (82.3%), 5.27k Black or African American Alone residents (5.92%), 5.22k Hispanic or Latino residents (5.88%), 3.24k Asian Alone residents (3.64%), 1.35k Two or More Races residents (1.52%), 442 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.497%), 111 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.125%), and 81 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0911%).

Age

Age by Nativity

44

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

40

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 2.2

In 2017, the median age of all people in Burke County, NC was 43.6. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 44, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Burke County, NC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Burke County, NC residents was 43.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

4.29%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

3.81k people

4.77%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

4.25k people

As of 2017, 4.29% of Burke County, NC residents (3.81k 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 Burke County, NC was 4.77%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Burke 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

97.5%

2017 Citizenship

97.1%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.5% of Burke County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Burke County, NC was 97.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    73.2k ± 78

  2. Black or African American Alone

    5.27k ± 252

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    5.22k ± 794

In 2017, there were 13.9 times more White Alone residents (73.2k people) in Burke County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.27k Black or African American Alone and 5.22k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    2,635 ± 255

  2. Korea

    635 ± 137

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    552 ± 125

Burke County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.15 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Burke County, NC awarded 464 degrees. The student population of Burke County, NC is skewed towards women, with 730 male students and 1,104 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Burke County, NC are White (379 and 81.7%), followed by Asian (51 and 11%), Black or African American (16 and 3.45%), and Hispanic or Latino (16 and 3.45%).

The largest universities in Burke County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Western Piedmont Community College (464 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Burke County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (180 and 38.8%), Medical Assistant (36 and 7.76%), and Criminal Justice - Police Science (32 and 6.9%).

The median tuition costs in Burke County, NC are $N/A 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. Liberal Arts & Sciences

    180 degrees awarded

  2. Registered Nursing

    27 degrees awarded

  3. Criminal Justice - Safety Studies

    19 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Burke County, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 180 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Western Piedmont Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

464 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Burke County, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Western Piedmont Community College with 464 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

172

Degrees Awarded to Men

292

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 172 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Burke County, NC, which is 0.589 times less than the 292 female students who received degrees in the same year.

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

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    379 degrees awarded

  2. Asian

    51 degrees awarded

  3. Black or African American

    16 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Burke County, NC were to White students. These 379 degrees mean that there were 7.43 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 51 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Burke County, NC was $115,400 in 2017, which is 0.502 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $113,600 to $115,400, a 1.58% increase. The homeownership rate in Burke County, NC is 71.5%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Burke County, NC have an average commute time of 20.9 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Burke County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$115,400

2017 Median

± $3,621

$113,600

2016 Median

± $3,816

In 2017, the median property value in Burke County, NC grew to to $115,400 from the previous year's value of $113,600.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Burke 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 Burke County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $150k - $175k range.

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Household Income

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

$40,854

Median Household Income

± $1,572

34.6k

Number of Households

± 1,205

In 2017, the median household income of the 34.6k households in Burke County, NC grew to $40,854 from the previous year's value of $39,759.

The following chart displays the households in Burke 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 $60k - $75k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

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

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Rent vs Own

71.5%

2017 Homeownership

70.3%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 71.5% of the housing units in Burke County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.3%.

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

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Commute Time

20.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Burke County, NC have a shorter commute time (20.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.29% of the workforce in Burke County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Burke 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

    85.6%

  2. Carpooled

    9.36%

  3. Worked At Home

    2.89%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Burke County, NC was Drove Alone (85.6%), followed by those who Carpooled (9.36%) and those who Worked At Home (2.89%).

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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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

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