Mecklenburg County, NC

County

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2023 Population

1.13M

1.39% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

35.4

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

10.4%

1.26% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$83,765

5.68% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$371,200

10.9% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

616,325

2.08% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Mecklenburg County, NC had a population of 1.13M people with a median age of 35.4 and a median household income of $83,765. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Mecklenburg County, NC grew from 1.12M to 1.13M, a 1.39% increase and its median household income grew from $79,265 to $83,765, a 5.68% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mecklenburg County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (43.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (30.1%), Other (Hispanic) (7.34%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.09%), and Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (4.49%).

None of the households in Mecklenburg County, 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.

89.8% of the residents in Mecklenburg County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mecklenburg County, NC are University of North Carolina at Charlotte (8,573 degrees awarded in 2023), Central Piedmont Community College (3,208 degrees), and Queens University of Charlotte (712 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Mecklenburg County, NC was $371,200, and the homeownership rate was 55.5%.

Most people in Mecklenburg County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Mecklenburg County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Mecklenburg County, NC borders Cabarrus County, NC, Gaston County, NC, Iredell County, NC, Lincoln County, NC, Union County, NC, Lancaster County, SC, and York County, SC.

Photo by Geoff Parsons

United States North Carolina Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Population & Diversity

Mecklenburg County, NC is home to a population of 1.13M people, from which 89.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 16.7% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents were born outside of the country (189k people).

In 2023, there were 1.46 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (496k people) in Mecklenburg County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 341k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 83.1k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

89.8%

2023 Citizenship

90.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 89.8% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC was 90.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mecklenburg County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
496k ± 1.11k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
341k ± 2.64k
Other (Hispanic)
83.1k ± 4.03k

15.4%

Hispanic Population

175k people

15.4% of the people in Mecklenburg County, NC are hispanic (175k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,963 ± 11,520 people
India
83,219 ± 7,055 people
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.

Foreign-Born Population

16.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

189k people

15.9%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

177k people

As of 2023, 16.7% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents (189k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC was 15.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
12,364 ± 1,042
Vietnam
11,706 ± 790
Gulf War (1990s)
8,597 ± 807

Mecklenburg County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.06 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mecklenburg County, NC employs 616k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Mecklenburg County, NC were Finance & Insurance (71,295 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (71,118 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (65,528 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($101,626), Finance & Insurance ($99,665), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($93,906).

Employment

Occupations

616k

2023 Value

± 7,067

2.08%

1 Year growth

± 1.59%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mecklenburg County, NC grew at a rate of 2.08%, from 604k employees to 616k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mecklenburg County, NC, are Management Occupations (87,373 people), Sales & Related Occupations (64,413 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (62,338 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mecklenburg County, NC.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

616k

2023 Value

± 7,067

2.08%

1 Year growth

± 1.59%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mecklenburg County, NC grew at a rate of 2.08%, from 604k employees to 616k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mecklenburg County, NC, are Finance & Insurance (71,295 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (71,118 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (65,528 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mecklenburg County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Mecklenburg County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$59,502

Median earning men ± $1,085

$46,260

Median earning women ± $552

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($113,388), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($85,950), and Information ($76,339).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,716), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($56,163), and Public Administration ($54,860).

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

3,549
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
2,261
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
2,014
Construction

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$13.7M
Finance and Insurance
$5.65M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$5.33M
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Education

In 2023, universities in Mecklenburg County, NC awarded 14,158 degrees. The student population of Mecklenburg County, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 25,544 male students and 30,494 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mecklenburg County, NC are White (7,058 and 54.4%), followed by Black or African American (2,594 and 20%), Hispanic or Latino (1,624 and 12.5%), and Asian (876 and 6.75%).

The largest universities in Mecklenburg County, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina at Charlotte (8,573 and 60.6%), Central Piedmont Community College (3,208 and 22.7%), and Queens University of Charlotte (712 and 5.03%).

The most popular majors in Mecklenburg County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,364 and 9.63%), Computer Science (1,081 and 7.64%), and General Business Administration & Management (717 and 5.06%).

The median tuition costs in Mecklenburg County, NC are $39,792 for private four year colleges, and $10,636 and $17,967 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Mecklenburg County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 63.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 56,038 (45.6% men and 54.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 56,038 students enrolled in Mecklenburg County, NC, 45.6% men and 54.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 24,512 records, of which 50.6% were women and 49.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
698 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
462 degrees awarded
General Finance
401 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mecklenburg County, NC was Computer Science with 698 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of North Carolina at Charlotte
8,573 degrees awarded
Central Piedmont Community College
3,208 degrees awarded
Queens University of Charlotte
712 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina at Charlotte with 8,573 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 6,131 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mecklenburg County, NC, which is 0.764 times less than the 8,027 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 7,058 degrees mean that there were 2.72 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,594 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

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($39,792) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,519) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,870) 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 2023, 0.995% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.855% 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 2023 were High School or Equivalent (2.18M), Some college (1.81M), and Bachelors Degree (1.69M).

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 Mecklenburg County, NC was $371,200 in 2023, which is 1.22 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $334,700 to $371,200, a 10.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Mecklenburg County, NC is 55.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65%.

People in Mecklenburg County, NC have an average commute time of 25.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mecklenburg County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mecklenburg County, NC is $83,765. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mecklenburg County, NC was Census Tract 27.02, Mecklenburg County, NC with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 27.01, Mecklenburg County, NC and Census Tract 28, Mecklenburg County, NC, with respective values of $246,892 and $242,125.

In 2024, 15.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.3%.

Housing

Property

$371,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,400

$252,815

Median Property Taxes

±$3,915

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 Mecklenburg County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

55.5%

Homeownership

2023

67.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 55.5% of the housing units in Mecklenburg County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 55.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mecklenburg County, 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)

Census Tract 27.02, Mecklenburg County, NC
Census Tract 27.01, Mecklenburg County, NC
Census Tract 28, Mecklenburg County, NC

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mecklenburg County, NC was Census Tract 27.02, Mecklenburg County, NC with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 27.01, Mecklenburg County, NC and Census Tract 28, Mecklenburg County, NC, with respective values of $246,892 and $242,125.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mecklenburg County, 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.

$83,765

Median Household Income

± $1,127

455k

Number of Households

± 5,899

In 2023, the median household income of the 455k households in Mecklenburg County, NC grew to $83,765 from the previous year's value of $79,265.

The following chart displays the households in Mecklenburg 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mecklenburg County, 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (61.9%)
Worked At Home (25.5%)
Carpooled (7.72%)

In 2023, 61.9% of workers in Mecklenburg County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (25.5%) and those who carpooled to work (7.72%).

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

25.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mecklenburg County, NC have a shorter commute time (25.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.85% of the workforce in Mecklenburg County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 15.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mecklenburg County, NC (116k out of 1.11M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 18 - 24.

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

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 14.1% of the children was living in poverty in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 8.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 584 in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 2.46 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

88.4% of the population of Mecklenburg County, NC has health coverage, with 53.6% on employee plans, 12.7% on Medicaid, 8.87% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.29% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mecklenburg County, NC see 1,078 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.97% decrease from the previous year (1,111 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1390 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 255 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,078 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mecklenburg County, NC

Primary care physicians in Mecklenburg County, NC see an average of 1,078 patients per year. This represents a 2.97% decrease from the previous year (1,111 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.6% under 18 years, 24.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.6%

Uninsured

53.6%

Employer Coverage

12.7%

Medicaid

8.87%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.29%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC grew by 0.824% from 11.5% to 11.6%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 56.4 in Mecklenburg County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mecklenburg County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.3% in Mecklenburg County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mecklenburg County, NC.