Morganton is a city located in Burke County North Carolina. Morganton has a 2024 population of 17,776. Morganton is currently growing at a rate of 0.38% annually and its population has increased by 1.57% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 17,502 in 2020.
The average household income in Morganton is $68,321 with a poverty rate of 28%. The median age in Morganton is 37.7 years: 32.3 years for males, and 41 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Morganton was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,323 | 64.86% |
| Black or African American | 2,358 | 13.51% |
| Other race | 1,923 | 11.02% |
| Two or more races | 754 | 4.32% |
| Native American | 701 | 4.02% |
| Asian | 398 | 2.28% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Black or African American
Other race
Two or more races
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 6,469 | 2.51 | 51.6 | 48.4 |
| Non Family | 2,233 | 1.09 | 47.6 | 52.4 |
| Married | 2,226 | 3.17 | 74.6 | 25.4 |
| Female | 1,368 | 3.75 | 36.9 | 63.1 |
| Male | 642 | 2.51 | 17.6 | 82.4 |
3.16
Average Family Size
2.51
Average Household Size
51.6%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,224 | 10.76% |
| Associates Degree | 1,279 | 11.25% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,567 | 13.78% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,168 | 10.27% |
| High School Graduate | 2,725 | 23.96% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,428 | 12.56% |
| Some College | 1,982 | 17.43% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,743 | 6,525 | 2,524 |
| Hispanic | 1,581 | 569 | 48 |
| Black | 1,566 | 1,339 | 118 |
| Other Race | 730 | 200 | 17 |
| Native American | 466 | 130 | 3 |
| 2+ Races | 321 | 289 | 39 |
| Asian | 245 | 149 | 34 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among 2+ races people with a rate of 90.03%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 32.6%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $42,109 | $50,776 | $34,192 |
| Graduate Degree | $63,688 | $84,219 | $57,989 |
| High School Graduate | $28,774 | $27,462 | $28,786 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $24,837 | $26,737 | $0 |
| Overall | $31,102 | $37,976 | $28,704 |
| Some College | $29,143 | $38,022 | $26,632 |
$31,102
Average Earnings
$37,976
Average Male
$28,704
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
79.6% of Morganton residents speak only English, while 20.4% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 16.54% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 9,895 | 1,972 | 19.93% |
| Hispanic | 3,486 | 1,477 | 42.37% |
| Other | 1,923 | 1,105 | 57.46% |
| Black | 2,122 | 669 | 31.53% |
| Multiple | 724 | 268 | 37.02% |
| Native | 698 | 246 | 35.24% |
| Asian | 379 | 117 | 30.87% |
28%
Overall Poverty Rate
27.7%
Male Poverty Rate
28.27%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Morganton is Other, with 57.46% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Morganton is White, with 19.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 8.06%. Among those working part-time, it was 27.79%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.4%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 54.7% |
| Some College | 10.99% |
| High School | 10.92% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.21% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 54.21% |
| Male Unemployed | 42.65% |
| Male Employed | 13.94% |
| Female Employed | 12.34% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $54,476 | $80,633 |
| Households | $47,715 | $68,321 |
| Married Families | $87,100 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $29,708 | $42,847 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
36.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
39.7%
Male Marriage Rate
33.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
660
Number of Veterans
627
Male Veterans
33
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 366 |
| First Gulf War | 99 |
| Korea | 84 |
| Second Gulf War | 37 |
| World War II | 14 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 276 |
| 65 to 74 | 207 |
| 35 to 54 | 97 |
| 55 to 64 | 74 |
| 18 to 34 | 6 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 580 | 6.29% |
| Black | 37 | 1.85% |
| 2+ Races | 24 | 6.84% |
| Hispanic | 24 | 1.16% |
| Asian | 16 | 6.06% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.64% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
5.96%
Veteran Poverty Rate
32.6%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
55.3%
Labor Force Participation
52.3%
Employment Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
64.45%
Born in Morganton
90.08%
Native Born
9.92%
Foreign Born
7.54%
Non Citizen
2.38%
Naturalized
90.08% of Morganton residents were born in the United States, with 64.45% having been born in North Carolina. 7.54% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 18,120 | 69 | 0.38% |
| 2028 | 18,051 | 69 | 0.38% |
| 2027 | 17,982 | 68 | 0.38% |
| 2026 | 17,914 | 69 | 0.39% |
| 2025 | 17,845 | 69 | 0.39% |
| 2024 | 17,776 | 68 | 0.38% |
| 2023 | 17,708 | -9 | -0.05% |
| 2022 | 17,717 | 304 | 1.75% |
| 2021 | 17,413 | -89 | -0.51% |
| 2020 | 17,502 | 955 | 5.77% |
| 2019 | 16,547 | 12 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | 16,535 | 14 | 0.08% |
| 2017 | 16,521 | 112 | 0.68% |
| 2016 | 16,409 | -14 | -0.09% |
| 2015 | 16,423 | -61 | -0.37% |
| 2014 | 16,484 | -53 | -0.32% |
| 2013 | 16,537 | -134 | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 16,671 | -110 | -0.66% |
| 2011 | 16,781 | -42 | -0.25% |
| 2010 | 16,823 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 17,310 | 2,225 | 14.75% |
| 1990 | 15,085 | 1,322 | 9.61% |
| 1980 | 13,763 | 138 | 1.01% |
| 1970 | 13,625 | 4,439 | 48.32% |
| 1960 | 9,186 | 875 | 10.53% |
| 1950 | 8,311 | 641 | 8.36% |
| 1940 | 7,670 | 1,669 | 27.81% |
| 1930 | 6,001 | 3,134 | 109.31% |
| 1920 | 2,867 | 155 | 5.72% |
| 1910 | 2,712 | -15,408 | -85.03% |