Catawba County, North Carolina Population 2024

166,123

Catawba County, North Carolina's estimated 2024 population is 166,123 with a growth rate of 0.9% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Catawba County, North Carolina is the 19th largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 154,758 and has seen a growth of 7.34% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
2029173,5131,4780.86%
2028172,0351,4780.87%
2027170,5571,4780.87%
2026169,0791,4780.88%
2025167,6011,4780.89%
2024166,1231,4780.9%
2023164,6451,4780.91%
2022163,1671,4920.92%
2021161,6757870.49%
2020160,8881,5250.96%
2019159,3638420.53%
2018158,5216990.44%
2017157,8221,3050.83%
2016156,5179100.58%
2015155,6074500.29%
2014155,1571330.09%
2013155,0242850.18%
2012154,7392380.15%
2011154,501-257-0.17%
2010154,75800%
1990118,41213,20412.55%
1980105,20814,33515.77%
197090,87317,68224.16%
196073,19111,39718.44%
195061,79410,14119.63%
194051,6537,66217.42%
193043,99110,15230%
192033,8395,92121.21%
191027,9185,78526.14%
190022,1333,44418.43%
189018,6893,74325.04%
188014,9463,96236.07%
187010,9842552.38%
186010,7291,86721.07%
18508,862-164,651-94.89%
2024 Growth Rate
0.9% (1,478)
County Website
Catawba County
2020 Population
160,888
Area
401 mi²
Density
414 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
3.25% (5,235)
Founded
1842

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White124,06077.05%
Black or African American13,0448.1%
Two or more races9,4245.85%
Other race7,1464.44%
Asian6,5844.09%
Native American7290.45%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander240.01%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Catawba County, North Carolina Population by Race

Catawba County, North Carolina Population Pyramid 2024

Catawba County, North Carolina Median Age

41.5

Total

40.3

Male

42.7

Female

Catawba County, North Carolina Adults

There are 125,975 adults, (29,425 of whom are seniors) in Catawba County, North Carolina.

Catawba County, North Carolina Age Dependency

66.8

Age Dependency Ratio

30.5

Old Age Dependency Ratio

36.3

Child Dependency Ratio

Catawba County, North Carolina Sex Ratio

Female81,69650.74%
Male79,31549.26%

Catawba County, North Carolina Population by Age

Catawba County, North Carolina Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All64,4422.467129
Married31,7042.9983.216.8
Non Family20,7811.260.639.4
Female8,1283.255.444.6
Male3,8293.2860.739.3

2.95

Average Family Size

2.46

Average Household Size

71.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Catawba County, North Carolina Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade9,3978.38%
Associates Degree13,91812.42%
Bachelors Degree19,43617.34%
Graduate Degree8,3667.46%
High School Graduate33,60429.98%
Less Than 9th Grade4,7424.23%
Some College22,64320.2%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Catawba County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Catawba County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White88,38479,87024,199
Black8,6957,3201,103
Hispanic8,2174,908872
2+ Races4,5563,8461,067
Asian3,8023,087770
Other Race3,4721,805346
Native American43928697
Islander888

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

Catawba County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$56,274$65,761$49,256
Graduate Degree$68,671$94,760$57,340
High School Graduate$36,387$40,797$29,724
Less Than 9th Grade$29,181$32,523$24,403
Overall$42,041$46,888$36,079
Some College$40,622$48,659$32,413

$42,041

Average Earnings

$46,888

Average Male

$36,079

Average Female

Catawba County, North Carolina Earnings by Educational Attainment

Catawba County, North Carolina Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Catawba County, North Carolina Language

86.68% of Catawba County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 13.32% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.73% of the population.

Catawba County, North Carolina Language

Catawba County, North Carolina Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White116,48110,9969.44%
Hispanic16,6274,42426.61%
Black12,1763,11325.57%
Other7,1312,21131.01%
Multiple9,2301,87320.29%
Asian6,51571010.9%
Native72912016.46%

13.04%

Overall Poverty Rate

12.46%

Male Poverty Rate

13.61%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Catawba County, North Carolina

The race most likely to be in poverty in Catawba County, North Carolina is Other, with 31.01% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Catawba County, North Carolina is White, with 9.44% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.18%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.96%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 20.08%.

Catawba County, North Carolina Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade22.99%
High School12.84%
Some College9.04%
Bachelors or Greater4.74%

Catawba County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed32.83%
Female Unemployed25.6%
Female Employed6.38%
Male Employed5.45%

Catawba County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Catawba County, North Carolina Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$73,996$98,791
Households$62,070$84,380
Married Families$88,663$115,820
Non Families$34,397$49,673

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Catawba County, North Carolina Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

50.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

53.2%

Male Marriage Rate

47.5%

Female Marriage Rate

Catawba County, North Carolina Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Catawba County, North Carolina Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

Catawba County, North Carolina Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Catawba County, North Carolina Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

8,805

Number of Veterans

8,054

Male Veterans

751

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam3,205
Second Gulf War2,088
First Gulf War1,713
Korea516
World War II31

Catawba County, North Carolina Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 742,434
75+1,982
35 to 541,908
55 to 641,277
18 to 341,204

Catawba County, North Carolina Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White7,7837.72%
Black6646.57%
2+ Races2003.72%
Hispanic1571.52%
Asian1272.75%
Other Race290.66%
Native American20.35%

Catawba County, North Carolina Veterans by Race

Catawba County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

7.25%

Veteran Poverty Rate

24.32%

Veteran Disability Rate

Catawba County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

61.3%

Labor Force Participation

58.1%

Employment Rate

5.1%

Unemployment Rate

Catawba County, North Carolina Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Catawba County, North Carolina Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Catawba County, North Carolina Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

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.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

65.11%

Born in Catawba County, North Carolina

93.13%

Native Born

6.87%

Foreign Born

3.98%

Non Citizen

2.89%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

93.13% of Catawba County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 65.11% having been born in North Carolina. 3.98% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Catawba County, North Carolina Place of Birth

Sources