Rowan County, NC

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Population

138,940

0.177% growth

Median Age

40.1


Median Household Income

$46,978

5.58% growth

Poverty Rate

16.8%


Number of Employees

59,529

2.56% growth

Median Property Value

$130,400

0.0766% decline

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Rowan County, NC had a population of 139k people with a median age of 40.1 and a median household income of $46,978. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Rowan County, NC grew from 138,694 to 138,940, a 0.177% increase and its median household income grew from $44,494 to $46,978, a 5.58% increase.

The population of Rowan County, NC is 72.7% White Alone, 16.1% Black or African American Alone, and 8.32% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in Rowan County, NC speak a non-English language, and 97.1% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rowan County, NC are Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (1,434 degrees awarded in 2017), Catawba College (290 degrees), and Livingstone College (153 degrees).

The median property value in Rowan County, NC is $130,400, and the homeownership rate is 68.1%. Most people in Rowan County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Rowan County, NC is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: View of Charlotte from the Central Ave. bridge over Independence Blvd.

Photo by James Willamor

United StatesNorth CarolinaCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Economy

The economy of Rowan County, NC employs 59.5k people. The largest industries in Rowan County, NC are Manufacturing (9,947 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,319 people), and Retail Trade (7,180 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,552), Utilities ($63,811), and Finance & Insurance ($44,432).

Median household income in Rowan County, NC is $46,978. Males in Rowan County, NC have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,729. The income inequality in Rowan County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$46,978

2017 value

± $1,605

5.58%

1 Year Growth

± 4.35%

Households in Rowan County, NC have a median annual income of $46,978, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $44,494 in 2016, which represents a 5.58% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Rowan County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$59,982

Average Male Salary

± $1,136

$44,729

Average Female Salary

± $812

In 2017, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.34 times more than female employees.

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

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $59,267 ± $4,472

  2. White

    $49,962 ± $811

  3. Two or More Races

    $36,539 ± $3,942

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.19 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

0.471

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.473 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.39% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 518.02

  2. Census Tract 510.02

  3. Census Tract 509.01

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Rowan County, NC was Census Tract 518.02 with a value of $63,470, followed by Census Tract 510.02 and Census Tract 509.01, with respective values of $57,750 and $54,948.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

16.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rowan County, NC (22.6k out of 135k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

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

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    14,240 ± 891

  2. Black

    6,011 ± 577

  3. Hispanic

    3,190 ± 426

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

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

59.5k

2017 Value

± 1,762

2.56%

1 Year growth

± 4.11%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Rowan County, NC grew at a rate of 2.56%, from 58k employees to 59.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rowan County, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (6,820 people), Production Occupations (6,737 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (5,932 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rowan County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Rowan County, NC, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (6,820 people), Production Occupations (6,737 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (5,932 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Rowan County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Production Occupations (1.95 times higher than expected), Installation, Maintenance, & Repair Occupations (1.62 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.4 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Rowan County, NC, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($68,125), Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($65,000), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($63,920).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

59.5k

2017 Value

± 1,762

2.56%

1 Year growth

± 4.11%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Rowan County, NC grew at a rate of 2.56%, from 58k employees to 59.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rowan County, NC, are Manufacturing (9,947 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,319 people), and Retail Trade (7,180 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rowan County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Rowan County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Rowan County, NC, by number of employees, are Manufacturing (9,947 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,319 people), and Retail Trade (7,180 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Rowan County, NC has an unusually high number of Manufacturing (1.65 times higher than expected), Utilities (1.4 times), and Construction (1.33 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Rowan County, NC, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,552), Utilities ($63,811), and Finance & Insurance ($44,432).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $54.9B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $41.2B

  3. Machinery

    $40B

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

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina state.

$443B

2020 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

42.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $443B. This is expected to increase 42.7% to $632B by 2045.

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

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. South Carolina

    $28.4B

  2. Virginia

    $28.1B

  3. Georgia

    $28B

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

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

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Health

87.1% of the population of Rowan County, NC has health coverage, with 40.6% on employee plans, 18.9% on Medicaid, 13% on Medicare, 13% on non-group plans, and 1.61% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in Rowan County, NC see 2399 patients per year on average, which represents a 7.29% increase from the previous year (2236 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2413 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 502 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.2%). Additionally, Hertford County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,399 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Rowan County, NC see an average of 2,399 patients per year. This represents a 7.29% increase from the previous year (2,236 patients).

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

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,264

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,859

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,225

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,260

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in North Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.37%, from $7,027 to $7,264.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

12.9%

Uninsured

40.6%

Employer Coverage

18.9%

Medicaid

13%

Medicare

13%

Non-Group

1.61%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rowan County, NC declined by 8.76% from 14.1% to 12.9%.

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

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Edgecombe County

    16.2% prevalence

  2. Robeson County

    16.1% prevalence

  3. Hertford County

    16% prevalence

Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina, at 16.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Rowan County, NC is home to a population of 139k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2017, 4.47% of Rowan County, NC residents were born outside of the country (6.21k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Rowan County, NC is composed of 101k White Alone residents (72.7%), 22.4k Black or African American Alone residents (16.1%), 11.6k Hispanic or Latino residents (8.32%), 2.21k Two or More Races residents (1.59%), 1.26k Asian Alone residents (0.905%), 285 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.205%), 194 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.14%), and 9 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.00648%).

Age

Age by Nativity

40

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

39

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1

In 2017, the median age of all people in Rowan County, NC was 40.1. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 40, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Rowan County, NC are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Rowan County, NC residents was 40.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

4.47%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

6.21k people

4.57%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

6.34k people

As of 2017, 4.47% of Rowan County, NC residents (6.21k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rowan County, NC was 4.57%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    242,756 ± 11,950 people

  2. India

    60,392 ± 6,015 people

  3. Honduras

    34,513 ± 4,553 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 242,756 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 60,392 and Honduras with 34,513.

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Citizenship

97.1%

2017 Citizenship

97%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.1% of Rowan County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Rowan County, NC was 97%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    101k ± 128

  2. Black or African American Alone

    22.4k ± 365

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    11.6k ± 1.16k

In 2017, there were 4.51 times more White Alone residents (101k people) in Rowan County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.4k Black or African American Alone and 11.6k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    3,730 ± 345

  2. Gulf War (1990s)

    1,163 ± 210

  3. Gulf War (2001-)

    1,100 ± 255

Rowan County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.21 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Rowan County, NC awarded 1,916 degrees. The student population of Rowan County, NC is skewed towards women, with 3,466 male students and 4,981 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rowan County, NC are White (1,198 and 63.3%), followed by Black or African American (406 and 21.4%), Hispanic or Latino (161 and 8.5%), and Asian (50 and 2.64%).

The largest universities in Rowan County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (1,434 and 74.8%), Catawba College (290 and 15.1%), and Livingstone College (153 and 7.99%).

The most popular majors in Rowan County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (419 and 21.9%), Medical Office Management (178 and 9.29%), and General Business Administration & Management (161 and 8.4%).

The median tuition costs in Rowan County, NC are $22,687 for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences

    402 degrees awarded

  2. Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities

    95 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    47 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Rowan County, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 402 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

    1,434 degrees awarded

  2. Catawba College

    290 degrees awarded

  3. Livingstone College

    153 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$22,687

Median Private

In 2017, the Rowan County, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with 1,434 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

675

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,241

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 675 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rowan County, NC, which is 0.544 times less than the 1,241 female students who received degrees in the same year.

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

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    1,198 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    406 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    161 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Rowan County, NC were to White students. These 1,198 degrees mean that there were 2.95 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 406 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Rowan County, NC was $130,400 in 2017, which is 0.568 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $130,500 to $130,400, a 0.0766% decrease. The homeownership rate in Rowan County, NC is 68.1%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Rowan County, NC have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Rowan County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$130,400

2017 Median

± $3,696

$130,500

2016 Median

± $4,289

In 2017, the median property value in Rowan County, NC declined from to $130,400 from the previous year's value of $130,500.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Rowan 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 Rowan County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

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Household Income

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

$46,978

Median Household Income

± $1,605

51.8k

Number of Households

± 1,540

In 2017, the median household income of the 51.8k households in Rowan County, NC grew to $46,978 from the previous year's value of $44,494.

The following chart displays the households in Rowan 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.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Rowan County, NC distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rowan County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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Rent vs Own

68.1%

2017 Homeownership

67.5%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 68.1% of the housing units in Rowan County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.5%.

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

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Commute Time

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rowan County, NC have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.67% of the workforce in Rowan County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    83.4%

  2. Carpooled

    10.3%

  3. Worked At Home

    2.94%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Rowan County, NC was Drove Alone (83.4%), followed by those who Carpooled (10.3%) and those who Worked At Home (2.94%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

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