Mitchell County, NC

County

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2020 Population

14,959

0.3% 1-year decline

US Senator

Richard Burr

Republican Party

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

47.2

0.426% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

12.4%

4.63% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$48,841

5.94% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$164,200

4.32% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

6,522

1.95% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Mitchell County, NC had a population of 15k people with a median age of 47.2 and a median household income of $48,841. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Mitchell County, NC declined from 15,004 to 14,959, a −0.3% decrease and its median household income grew from $46,103 to $48,841, a 5.94% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mitchell County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (91.9%), White (Hispanic) (3.85%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.13%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.682%).

None of the households in Mitchell 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.

96.9% of the residents in Mitchell County, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2020, the median property value in Mitchell County, NC was $164,200, and the homeownership rate was 79.6%. Most people in Mitchell County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Mitchell County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Mitchell County, NC borders Avery County, NC, McDowell County, NC, Yancey County, NC, Carter County, TN, and Unicoi County, TN.

United States North Carolina

Diversity

Mitchell County, NC is home to a population of 15k people, from which 96.9% are citizens. As of 2020, 4% of Mitchell County, NC residents were born outside of the country (598 people).

In 2020, there were 23.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (13.7k people) in Mitchell County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 576 White (Hispanic) and 240 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mitchell County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
13.7k ± 21
White (Hispanic)
576 ± 149
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
240 ± 92.4

5.67%

Hispanic Population

848 people

5.67% of the people in Mitchell County, NC are hispanic (848 people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

2020 Foreign-Born Population

598 people

4.01%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

601 people

As of 2020, 4% of Mitchell County, NC residents (598 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mitchell County, NC was 4.01%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.8

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 4.9

In 2020, the median age of all people in Mitchell County, NC was 47.2. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 48, were generally older than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 35. But people in Mitchell County, NC are getting getting older. In 2019, the average age of all Mitchell County, NC residents was 47.

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.

Citizenship

96.9%

2020 Citizenship

96.9%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.9% of Mitchell County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Mitchell County, NC was 96.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
400 ± 132
Gulf War (1990s)
105 ± 70
Korea
97 ± 96

Mitchell County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.81 times greater than any other conflict.

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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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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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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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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Economy

Median household income in Mitchell County, NC is $48,841. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mitchell County, NC was Census Tract 9504 with a value of $57,109, followed by Census Tract 9502 and Census Tract 9503, with respective values of $48,063 and $42,903.

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.

The economy of Mitchell County, NC employs 6.52k people. The largest industries in Mitchell County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,032 people), Manufacturing (937 people), and Educational Services (716 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($69,439), Utilities ($66,444), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,658).

Wages

Median Household Income

$48,841

2020 value

± $4,296

5.94%

1 Year Growth

± 11.3%

Households in Mitchell County, NC have a median annual income of $48,841, which is less than the median annual income of $64,994 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $46,103 in 2019, which represents a 5.94% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Mitchell County, NC compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

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

$65,285

Average Male Salary in North Carolina

± $1,177

$49,357

Average Female Salary in North Carolina

± $863

In 2020, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.32 times more than female employees.

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

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 in North Carolina

Asian
$68,761 ± $4,586
White
$55,155 ± $864
Two or More Races
$42,126 ± $3,548

In 2020 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.25 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in North Carolina.

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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mitchell 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9504
Census Tract 9502
Census Tract 9503

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mitchell County, NC was Census Tract 9504 with a value of $57,109, followed by Census Tract 9502 and Census Tract 9503, with respective values of $48,063 and $42,903.

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

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 55 - 64

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

12.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mitchell County, NC (1.8k out of 14.6k 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 55 - 64, followed by Females 75+ and then Females 45 - 54.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
1,632 ± 251
Hispanic
262 ± 123
Two Or More
96 ± 113

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

6.52k

2020 Value

± 572

1.95%

1 Year growth

± 11.6%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Mitchell County, NC grew at a rate of 1.95%, from 6.4k employees to 6.52k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mitchell County, NC, are Production Occupations (747 people), Management Occupations (613 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (571 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mitchell County, NC.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Mitchell County, NC, by number of employees, are Production Occupations (747 people), Management Occupations (613 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (571 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Mitchell County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Health Technologists & Technicians (2.81 times higher than expected), Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (2.81 times), and Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (2.48 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Mitchell County, NC, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($66,389), Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($65,750), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($58,281).

Industries

Employment by Industries

6.52k

2020 Value

± 572

1.95%

1 Year growth

± 11.6%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Mitchell County, NC grew at a rate of 1.95%, from 6.4k employees to 6.52k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mitchell County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,032 people), Manufacturing (937 people), and Educational Services (716 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mitchell County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Mitchell County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Mitchell County, NC, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,032 people), Manufacturing (937 people), and Educational Services (716 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Mitchell County, NC has an unusually high number of Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (13.6 times higher than expected), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (1.84 times), and Manufacturing (1.43 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Mitchell County, NC, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($69,439), Utilities ($66,444), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,658).

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 Mitchell County, NC went to Donald J. Trump with 78.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (20.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.52%). The most partisan county was Durham County, NC with 80.4% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

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 Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (78.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (20.7%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.52%)
Libertarian Party

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

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of North Carolina.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Mitchell County, NC

78.4% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in North Carolina

Durham County, NC
80.4% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Yadkin County, NC
80% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Graham County, NC
79.5% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in North Carolina was Durham County, NC with 80.4% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in North Carolina colored by their party leaning.

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 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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Mitchell County, NC was $164,200 in 2020, which is 0.715 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $157,400 to $164,200, a 4.32% increase. The homeownership rate in Mitchell County, NC is 79.6%, which is higher than the national average of 64.4%. People in Mitchell County, NC have an average commute time of 23.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mitchell County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$164,200

2020 Median

± $7,085

$157,400

2019 Median

± $7,874

In 2020, the median property value in Mitchell County, NC grew to to $164,200 from the previous year's value of $157,400.

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

Household Income

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

$48,841

Median Household Income

± $4,296

6.4k

Number of Households

± 527

In 2020, the median household income of the 6.4k households in Mitchell County, NC grew to $48,841 from the previous year's value of $46,103.

The following chart displays the households in Mitchell 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.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

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

Rent vs Own

79.6%

2020 Homeownership

78%

2019 Homeownership

In 2020, 79.6% of the housing units in Mitchell County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 78%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.4%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Mitchell County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

23.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mitchell County, NC have a shorter commute time (23.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.46% of the workforce in Mitchell County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (82%)
Carpooled (11.1%)
Worked At Home (3.5%)

In 2020, 82% of workers in Mitchell County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.1%) and those who worked at home (3.5%).

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.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Health

89.5% of the population of Mitchell County, NC has health coverage, with 39.1% on employee plans, 14.6% on Medicaid, 18.4% on Medicare, 15.8% on non-group plans, and 1.59% 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 Mitchell County, NC see 1667 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.478% decrease from the previous year (1675 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1663 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1069 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Jones County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (27.2%). Additionally, Bladen County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (49.1%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,667 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mitchell County, NC

Primary care physicians in Mitchell County, NC see an average of 1,667 patients per year. This represents a 0.478% decrease from the previous year (1,675 patients).

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

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
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.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
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.

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 in North Carolina

$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.

Health Care Coverage

10.5%

Uninsured

39.1%

Employer Coverage

14.6%

Medicaid

18.4%

Medicare

15.8%

Non-Group

1.59%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mitchell County, NC declined by 11.1% from 11.8% to 10.5%.

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