Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC

Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)

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2024 Population

135,866

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Poverty Rate

16.6%

1.53% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$55,463

4.63% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$214,000

10.8% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

53,967

3.07% 1-year growth

About

4.66% of the households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, 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.

98.5% of the residents in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC are Gardner-Webb University (1,036 degrees awarded in 2023), Isothermal Community College (878 degrees), and Cleveland Community College (736 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was $214,000, and the homeownership rate was 71.9%.

Most people in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was 2 cars per household.

Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC borders Burke & McDowell Counties PUMA, NC, Buncombe County (Southeast)--Asheville City PUMA, NC, Henderson & Transylvania Counties PUMA, NC, Lincoln & Cleveland (East) Counties PUMA, NC, Greenville County (North)--Greer (North & West) & Travelers Rest Cities PUMA, SC, Spartanburg County (North)--Landrum City PUMA, SC, and Union and York (West) Counties--York City PUMA, SC.

United States North Carolina South Carolina

Population & Diversity

Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC is home to a population of 136k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.11% of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC residents were born outside of the country (4.22k people).

In 2024, there were 5.84 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (103k people) in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary language in households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC are Spanish (4,476 households), Arabic (207 households), and German (184 households).

Population & Diversity

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

70,168

Women

51.8%

65,321

Men

48.2%

The resident population of United States in 2023 was 135,489 inhabitants, with 48.2% men, and 51.8% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Citizenship

98.5%

2024 Citizenship

98.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.5% of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was 98.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
103k ± 1.35k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
17.6k ± 1.24k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
6k ± 955

5.12%

Hispanic Population

6.96k people

5.12% of the people in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC are hispanic (6.96k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
1,921 ± 1,068 people
China
200 ± 347 people
Canada
196 ± 343 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was Mexico, the natal country of 1,921 Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC residents, followed by China with 200 and Canada with 196.

Foreign-Born Population

3.11%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

4.22k people

3.15%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

4.27k people

As of 2024, 3.11% of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC residents (4.22k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was 3.15%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
4,476 households (3.48%)
Arabic
207 households (0.161%)
German
184 households (0.143%)

4.66% of the households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is lower than the national average of 22.3%. 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.

In 2024, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was Spanish. 3.48% of the households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,311 ± 423
Gulf War (2001-)
1,395 ± 247
Gulf War (1990s)
1,116 ± 232

Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.37 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC.

Economy

The economy of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC employs 54k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC were Restaurants & Food Services (3,761 people), Construction (3,740 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (3,195 people), and the highest paying industries were Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($253,240), Air transportation ($139,856), and Management, scientific & technical consulting services ($116,256).

Males in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $48,095. The income inequality in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.447, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

26,887

Women

49.8%

27,080

Men

50.2%

The workforce of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC in 2023 was 53,967 people, with 49.8% woman, and 50.2% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Occupations

54k

2023 Value

3.07%

1 Year growth

± 3.07%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC grew at a rate of 3.07%, from 52.4k employees to 54k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC, are Registered nurses (1,353 people), Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (1,308 people), and Miscellaneous production workers, including semiconductor processors (1,193 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, 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

54k

2023 Value

3.07%

1 Year growth

± 3.07%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC grew at a rate of 3.07%, from 52.4k employees to 54k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC, are Restaurants & Food Services (3,761 people), Construction (3,740 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (3,195 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC, though some of these residents may live in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,481

Median earning men ± $1,280

$31,845

Median earning women ± $1,551

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($66,053), Wholesale Trade ($56,250), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($51,000).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($51,970), Information ($46,944), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,172).

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.

Education

In 2023, universities in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC awarded 2,650 degrees. The student population of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 2,380 male students and 4,445 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC are White (1,822 and 68.8%), Black or African American (423 and 16%), Hispanic or Latino (156 and 5.89%), and Unknown (153 and 5.78%).

The largest universities in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC by number of degrees awarded are Gardner-Webb University (1,036 and 39.1%), Isothermal Community College (878 and 33.1%), and Cleveland Community College (736 and 27.8%).

The most popular majors in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (433 and 16.3%), General Business Administration & Management (281 and 10.6%), and General Educational Leadership & Administration (209 and 7.89%).

The median tuition cost in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC for private four year colleges is $32,470.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 87%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 10.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 6,825 (34.9% men and 65.1% 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 6,825 students enrolled in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC, 34.9% men and 65.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,137 records, of which 65% were women and 35% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
433 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
53 degrees awarded
Early Childhood Education & Teaching
26 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 433 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Gardner-Webb University
1,036 degrees awarded
Isothermal Community College
878 degrees awarded
Cleveland Community College
736 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Gardner-Webb University with 1,036 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 923 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC, which is 0.534 times less than the 1,727 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 1,822 degrees mean that there were 4.31 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 423 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 ($32,470) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($980) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,300) 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

Measure

In 2023, 0.957% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.48% of women were in the same situation.

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

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (33.5k), Some college (24.1k), and Secondary Education (16.5k).

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 Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was $214,000 in 2024, which is 0.643 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $193,100 to $214,000, a 10.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC is 71.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC have an average commute time of 24.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$214,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$6,523

$39,850

Median Property Taxes

±$1,394

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 Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.9%

Homeownership

2024

65.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.9% of the housing units in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

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

$55,463

Median Household Income

± $2,457

55.5k

Number of Households

± 1,835

In 2024, the median household income of the 55.5k households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC grew to $55,463 from the previous year's value of $53,007.

The following chart displays the households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, 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

0.447

2023 Wage GINI in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC

0.439

2022 Wage GINI in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC

In 2023, the income inequality in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was 0.447 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.8% growth from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (78.6%)
Worked At Home (9.52%)
Carpooled (9.39%)

In 2024, 78.6% of workers in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.52%) and those who carpooled to work (9.39%).

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

Commute Time

24.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC have a shorter commute time (24.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.36% of the workforce in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC (22.1k out of 133k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

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

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

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

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

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

Health

89.3% of the population of Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC has health coverage, with 35.9% on employee plans, 19.5% on Medicaid, 17.5% on Medicare, 14.6% on non-group plans, and 1.78% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,413 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.2% under 18 years, 18% between 18 and 34 years, 37.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

10.7%

Uninsured

35.9%

Employer Coverage

19.5%

Medicaid

17.5%

Medicare

14.6%

Non-Group

1.78%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC declined by 3.2% from 11% to 10.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rutherford, Cleveland (West) & Polk Counties--Shelby City PUMA, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.