Mecklenburg County, NC

County

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2020 Population

1.1M

1.93% 1-year growth

US Senator

Richard Burr

Republican Party

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

35.2

0.285% 1-year increase

2018 Poverty Rate

12.7%

5.43% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$69,240

3.9% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$253,500

6.51% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

584,086

2.28% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Mecklenburg County, NC had a population of 1.1M people with a median age of 35.2 and a median household income of $69,240. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Mecklenburg County, NC grew from 1.07M to 1.1M, a 1.93% increase and its median household income grew from $66,641 to $69,240, a 3.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mecklenburg County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (46.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (31.1%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.02%), Other (Hispanic) (5.67%), and White (Hispanic) (5.63%).

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.

90.1% 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 (7,909 degrees awarded in 2020), Central Piedmont Community College (2,938 degrees), and Queens University of Charlotte (743 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Mecklenburg County, NC was $253,500, and the homeownership rate was 56.4%.

Most people in Mecklenburg County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.2 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

Population & Diversity

Mecklenburg County, NC is home to a population of 1.1M people, from which 90.1% are citizens. As of 2020, 15.8% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents were born outside of the country (173k people).

In 2020, there were 1.49 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (507k people) in Mecklenburg County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 341k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 65.9k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

90.1%

2020 Citizenship

90.2%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 90.1% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC was 90.2%, 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)
507k ± 677
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
341k ± 2.04k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
65.9k ± 1.07k

13.4%

Hispanic Population

147k people

13.4% of the people in Mecklenburg County, NC are hispanic (147k people).

The following chart shows the 7 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
224,275 ± 11,501 people
India
74,765 ± 6,689 people
Honduras
37,815 ± 4,766 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,275 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 74,765 and Honduras with 37,815.

Foreign-Born Population

15.8%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

173k people

15.4%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

165k people

As of 2020, 15.8% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents (173k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC was 15.4%, 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

Vietnam
13,669 ± 710
Gulf War (2001-)
9,926 ± 785
Gulf War (1990s)
9,035 ± 754

Mecklenburg County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.38 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mecklenburg County, NC employs 584k people. The largest industries in Mecklenburg County, NC are Finance & Insurance (66,643 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (65,895 people), and Retail Trade (62,347 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($91,667), Utilities ($80,585), and Finance & Insurance ($80,377).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,357. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

584k

2020 Value

± 6,950

2.28%

1 Year growth

± 1.52%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Mecklenburg County, NC grew at a rate of 2.28%, from 571k employees to 584k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mecklenburg County, NC, are Management Occupations (73,827 people), Sales & Related Occupations (67,677 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (62,651 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

584k

2020 Value

± 6,950

2.28%

1 Year growth

± 1.52%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Mecklenburg County, NC grew at a rate of 2.28%, from 571k employees to 584k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mecklenburg County, NC, are Finance & Insurance (66,643 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (65,895 people), and Retail Trade (62,347 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

$48,743

Median earning men ± $1,024

$36,772

Median earning women ± $543

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($93,740), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($67,677), and Information ($62,513).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,361), Public Administration ($47,757), and Information ($44,945).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

11,647
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
9,268
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
8,732
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$28.6M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$11.4M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$9.45M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

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

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

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.9B, followed by Machinery ($49B) and Pharmaceuticals ($48.7B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$488B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

89.6% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $488B. This is expected to increase 89.6% to $926B by 2050.

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

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

South Carolina
$35.1B
Virginia
$27B
Georgia
$18.5B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $35.1B, followed by Virginia with $27B and Georgia and $18.5B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mecklenburg County, NC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 66.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (31.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.957%).

Richard Burr and Thom Tillis are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (66.7%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (31.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.957%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mecklenburg County, NC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Richard Burr

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2005

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Richard Burr and Thom Tillis are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Mecklenburg County, NC awarded 13,469 degrees. The student population of Mecklenburg County, NC in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 25,214 male students and 30,328 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mecklenburg County, NC are White (6,973 and 56.2%), followed by Black or African American (2,653 and 21.4%), Hispanic or Latino (1,260 and 10.2%), and Asian (674 and 5.43%).

The largest universities in Mecklenburg County, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina at Charlotte (7,909 and 58.7%), Central Piedmont Community College (2,938 and 21.8%), and Queens University of Charlotte (743 and 5.52%).

The most popular majors in Mecklenburg County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,358 and 10.1%), Computer Science (835 and 6.2%), and General Business Administration & Management (739 and 5.49%).

The median tuition costs in Mecklenburg County, NC are $34,376 for private four year colleges, and $8,782 and $15,499 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Mecklenburg County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 65.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 55,542 (45.4% men and 54.6% 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 2020 there were 55,542 students enrolled in Mecklenburg County, NC, 45.4% men and 54.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 27,316 records, of which 51.3% were women and 48.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
539 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
407 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
370 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mecklenburg County, NC was Computer Science with 539 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
7,909 degrees awarded
Central Piedmont Community College
2,938 degrees awarded
Queens University of Charlotte
743 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina at Charlotte with 7,909 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 5,790 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mecklenburg County, NC, which is 0.754 times less than the 7,679 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,973 degrees mean that there were 2.63 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,653 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 ($34,376) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,478) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($1,637) 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 2020, 0.849% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.733% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.14M), Some college (1.89M), and Bachelors Degree (1.54M).

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 $253,500 in 2020, which is 1.1 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $238,000 to $253,500, a 6.51% increase. The homeownership rate in Mecklenburg County, NC is 56.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Mecklenburg County, NC have an average commute time of 26.2 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 $69,240. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mecklenburg County, NC was Census Tract 28 with a value of $238,750, followed by Census Tract 27.01 and Census Tract 58.46, with respective values of $196,016 and $184,417.

In 2021, 15.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 0.503%.

Housing

Property

$253,500

Median Property Value 2020

±$2,872

$237,994

Median Property Taxes

±$3,644

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

56.4%

Homeownership

2020

68%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 56.4% of the housing units in Mecklenburg County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 56.4%.

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 28
Census Tract 27.01
Census Tract 58.46

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mecklenburg County, NC was Census Tract 28 with a value of $238,750, followed by Census Tract 27.01 and Census Tract 58.46, with respective values of $196,016 and $184,417.

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.

$69,240

Median Household Income

± $1,176

422k

Number of Households

± 5,334

In 2020, the median household income of the 422k households in Mecklenburg County, NC grew to $69,240 from the previous year's value of $66,641.

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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.472

2019 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2020, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.395% decline from 2019 to 2020, 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 2020

Drove Alone (73.3%)
Worked At Home (11.9%)
Carpooled (8.92%)

In 2020, 73.3% of workers in Mecklenburg County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.9%) and those who carpooled to work (8.92%).

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

26.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mecklenburg County, NC have a shorter commute time (26.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.99% 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 2021, 15.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 0.503%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

12.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mecklenburg County, NC (131k out of 1.04M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. 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 2021, 13.8% of the children was living in poverty in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 8.5%.

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 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 584 in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2021, 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.

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Health

88.6% of the population of Mecklenburg County, NC has health coverage, with 53.6% on employee plans, 13.1% on Medicaid, 8.37% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 1.3% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in North Carolina was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Mecklenburg County, NC see 1134 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.05% decrease from the previous year (1146 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1431 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 328 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for North Carolina. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in North Carolina, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,134 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mecklenburg County, NC

Primary care physicians in Mecklenburg County, NC see an average of 1,134 patients per year. This represents a 1.05% decrease from the previous year (1,146 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of North Carolina across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.9% under 18 years, 24.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.4%

Uninsured

53.6%

Employer Coverage

13.1%

Medicaid

8.37%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

1.3%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC declined by 1.69% from 11.6% to 11.4%.

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 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 51.4 in Mecklenburg County, NC.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 28.9% in Mecklenburg County, NC.

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

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