Marion, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

44,679

0.112% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

44.3

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

14%

6.44% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$55,527

3.73% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$168,300

9.78% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

18,679

0.607% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Marion, NC had a population of 44.7k people with a median age of 44.3 and a median household income of $55,527. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Marion, NC grew from 44,629 to 44,679, a 0.112% increase and its median household income grew from $53,532 to $55,527, a 3.73% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Marion, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (86.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.86%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.45%), White (Hispanic) (2.13%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.1%).

None of the households in Marion, 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.

97.2% of the residents in Marion, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Marion, NC are McDowell Technical Community College (342 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Marion, NC was $168,300, and the homeownership rate was 74%.

Most people in Marion, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Marion, NC was 2 cars per household.

Marion, NC borders Asheville, NC, Forest City, NC, and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Marion, NC is home to a population of 44.7k people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.85% of Marion, NC residents were born outside of the country (1.72k people).

In 2023, there were 22.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (38.6k people) in Marion, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.72k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.09k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2023 Citizenship

97.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.2% of Marion, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Marion, NC was 97.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Marion, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
38.6k ± 54
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.72k ± 154
Two+ (Hispanic)
1.09k ± 453

6.78%

Hispanic Population

3.03k people

6.78% of the people in Marion, NC are hispanic (3.03k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Marion, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

3.85%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.72k people

4.06%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.81k people

As of 2023, 3.85% of Marion, NC residents (1.72k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Marion, NC was 4.06%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,112 ± 210
Gulf War (2001-)
496 ± 204
Gulf War (1990s)
254 ± 163

Marion, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.24 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Marion, NC employs 18.7k people. The largest industries in Marion, NC are Manufacturing (4,492 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,826 people), and Retail Trade (2,268 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($96,189), Wholesale Trade ($57,143), and Utilities ($56,182).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

18.7k

2023 Value

± 1,130

−0.607%

1 Year decline

± 8.62%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Marion, NC declined at a rate of −0.607%, from 18.8k employees to 18.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Marion, NC, are Production Occupations (3,170 people), Management Occupations (1,749 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,503 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Marion, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

18.7k

2023 Value

± 1,130

−0.607%

1 Year decline

± 8.62%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Marion, NC declined at a rate of −0.607%, from 18.8k employees to 18.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Marion, NC, are Manufacturing (4,492 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,826 people), and Retail Trade (2,268 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Marion, NC, though some of these residents may live in Marion, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,838

Median earning men ± $2,321

$37,070

Median earning women ± $4,508

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($82,031), Information ($79,095), and Public Administration ($53,848).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($56,369), Public Administration ($48,906), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,500).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

69
Construction
67
Retail Trade
61
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$287k
Manufacturing
$70.5k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$54.9k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Marion, NC awarded 342 degrees. The student population of Marion, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 438 male students and 662 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Marion, NC are White (286 and 84.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (31 and 9.17%), Asian (7 and 2.07%), and Black or African American (7 and 2.07%).

The largest universities in Marion, NC by number of degrees awarded are McDowell Technical Community College (342 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Marion, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (81 and 23.7%), Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (27 and 7.89%), and Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology (21 and 6.14%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 1,100 students enrolled in Marion, NC, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 843 records, of which 60.9% were women and 39.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
81 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
20 degrees awarded
Information Technology
9 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Marion, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 81 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

McDowell Technical Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

342 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was McDowell Technical Community College with 342 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 125 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Marion, NC, which is 0.576 times less than the 217 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 286 degrees mean that there were 9.23 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 31 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($1,824) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($134) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Marion, NC was $168,300 in 2023, which is 0.555 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $153,300 to $168,300, a 9.78% increase. The homeownership rate in Marion, NC is 74%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Marion, NC have an average commute time of 24.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Marion, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Marion, NC is $55,527. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Marion, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

Housing

Property

$168,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$12,433

$13,657

Median Property Taxes

±$825

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 Marion, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

74%

Homeownership

2023

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 74% of the housing units in Marion, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 73.4%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Marion, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

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

Household Income

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

$55,527

Median Household Income

± $3,603

18.4k

Number of Households

± 1,114

In 2023, the median household income of the 18.4k households in Marion, NC grew to $55,527 from the previous year's value of $53,532.

The following chart displays the households in Marion, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (83.6%)
Carpooled (8.93%)
Worked At Home (5.3%)

In 2023, 83.6% of workers in Marion, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.93%) and those who worked at home (5.3%).

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.

Commute Time

24.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Marion, NC have a shorter commute time (24.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.61% of the workforce in Marion, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

14% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Marion, NC (6.06k out of 43.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 55 - 64.

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

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.3% of the population of Marion, NC has health coverage, with 38.7% on employee plans, 17.8% on Medicaid, 15.2% on Medicare, 14.2% on non-group plans, and 2.37% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1413 patients per year on average, which represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1399 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1657 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 336 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,413 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1,399 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.4% under 18 years, 17.6% between 18 and 34 years, 40.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.7% 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.

Uninsured People

11.7%

Uninsured

38.7%

Employer Coverage

17.8%

Medicaid

15.2%

Medicare

14.2%

Non-Group

2.37%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Marion, NC declined by 7.25% from 12.6% to 11.7%.

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

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