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Catawba
North Carolina

161K

Population

$62K

Median Income

$297K

Median Home

R+37

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$62K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate12.3%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.4%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$72,383

Federal Spending per Capita$254

Median Individual Earnings$40K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers33.5%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$75K

Avg Credit Score666

Work From Home %6.4%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1821.8%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households26.8%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms88

Income (20th Percentile)$27K

Income (80th Percentile)$117K

Income (95th Percentile)$210K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher24.9%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School12.6%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %13.7%

Dependency Ratio1.06

Medicare Spending / Person$3,179

SS Benefits / Person$4,615

Education Wage Premium1.89x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$56K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$69K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$36K

Public Assistance Recipients2.7%

Average Annual Wage$56K

Professional Services Concentration0.68x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$294K

This county

$335K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$275K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1481/mo

This county

$1450/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.66%

This county

0.70% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $1,277

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,095/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+2.5%

Home Value to Income Ratio2.6x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households8.2%

Homeownership Rate71.0%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list

97.2%

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

22.6%

Sold Above List Price

23.3%

Median Days to Close

33 days

Active Listings

660

New Listings / Month

173

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage

51 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Balanced market

4.2 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

18.6%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 97.2% · Redfin 97.4%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy74.9 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Hospital Rating2.0 / 5

This county

national avg 3.0 stars

Food Insecurity12.0%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index7.3 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score12

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score12

Dental Care Shortage Score13

Healthcare Shortage Score12.3

Healthcare Offices265

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)37.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)15.0%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)18.4%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)23.2%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)32.7%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians387

Nursing Home Rating4.0 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients520 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$11,687

Uninsured (under 65)11.8%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression26.6%

Education

Math Test Scores3.13 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.10 grade level

HS Diploma Holders27,578

Bachelor's Degree Holders13,918

HS Completion Rate87.4%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools30

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.7 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate17.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Homicide Rate6.2 / 100K

This county

national avg ~7.5/100K

Drug Overdose Rate31.8 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities25

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)68th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)36.4 / 100K

Suicide Rate16.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale1.3

January Sunshine0.74

January Temperature0.52

Average Temp60°F

Avg High Temp71°F

Avg Low Temp48°F

Median AQIAQI 43

Good Air Days212 days/yr

Unhealthy Air Days3 days/yr

Annual Precipitation41.1 in/yr

Avg Storm Events9.4 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$272K

Ozone Days0 days/yr

This county

national avg 50 days/yr

Drought Index (2022)-0.15

Heating Degree Days3,350 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days1,402 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)3,796 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)1,245 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.2

Avg Flood Events / Year2.6

Avg Hail Events / Year1.4

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)78 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)55 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations21 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)7.9 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)66 properties

FAA-Registered Airports7 total

Airports (excl. heliports)5 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries2 breweries

Microbreweries2 microbreweries

Brewpubs0 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed272 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed51 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)404 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)359 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)22 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)33 ms

Households with 100Mbps+99.0%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet10.9%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)107 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations14 stations

DC Fast Chargers29 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers18

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers4,749 workers

Public Transit Commuters229 workers

Walk to Work730 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)1,302 workers

Bike Commuters0.0%

Walk to Work1.0%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden24.7%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers9.7 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities23

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout71.0%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)4.285

Nonprofit Organizations514

Veterans Share7.0%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults52.3%

Never-Married Adults29.3%

Divorced Adults11.5%

Religious Organizations197

Asian Population4.1%

Native American Population0.5%

Membership Associations14.2 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.87 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities2

Nursing & Care Facilities102

Grocery Stores44

Arts & Entertainment Venues18

Hotels & Lodging26

Recreation Businesses35

Professional Services Firms327

Veterinary Practices29

Real Estate Firms193

Museums5

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$63K

Avg Student Loan Balance$8K

Avg Credit Card Balance$4K

Loan Delinquency Rate49.4%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.17%

Politics

R+37

2024 Presidential · North Carolina was R+3 statewide

vs North Carolina State

Income tax

4.5%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.66%0.7% state avg

Politics

R+37R+3

COL Index

County data94 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +2K

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.92x avg income)

Economic Mobility

36%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Catawba County

Median home value: $297K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Catawba

WCNC · 4 hours ago

Man, woman found dead in apparent domestic shooting in Catawba County

CLAREMONT, N.C. — A man and woman were found dead from gunshot wounds inside a Claremont home Tuesda…

Catawba County (.gov) · 1 day ago

Catawba County 101

Catawba County, North Carolina, is located in the western part of the state in the foothills of the …

WSOC TV · 2 days ago

Body of Charlotte tattoo artist found near Catawba College ruled homicide

SALISBURY, N.C. — The North Carolina State Medical Examiner has ruled the death of Carlos Aristotele…

Carolina Journal · 6 days ago

Catawba County shows NC the way forward on protecting girls

Amidst this paralysis among many county school boards around the state, Catawba County shines a ligh…

Catawba College · Mar 10, 2026

2026 LifeintheGap

Share Options ... Catawba College's faculty-student documentary Life in the Gap is reaching a broade…

WHKY · 2 weeks ago

Tourism Generated More Than $363 Million for Catawba County in 2025

HICKORY, N.C. (WHKY) — Visitors to and within Catawba County spent more than $363 million in 2025, g…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

CatawbaNorth Carolina

Catawba
North Carolina