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McDowell
North Carolina

45K

Population

$54K

Median Income

$261K

Median Home

R+48

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$54K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate16.1%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.5%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$57,300

Federal Spending per Capita$264

Median Individual Earnings$38K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers28.1%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$57K

Avg Credit Score659

Work From Home %4.0%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1819.6%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households24.8%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms18

Income (20th Percentile)$26K

Income (80th Percentile)$101K

Income (95th Percentile)$183K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher22.0%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School13.8%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %0.3%

Dependency Ratio0.97

Medicare Spending / Person$3,782

SS Benefits / Person$5,032

Education Wage Premium1.75x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$50K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$62K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$35K

Public Assistance Recipients1.8%

Average Annual Wage$47K

Professional Services Concentration0.35x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$258K

This county

$335K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$226K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1767/mo

This county

$1450/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.53%

This county

0.70% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $811

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$925/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)-1.8%

Home Value to Income Ratio2.3x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households6.0%

Homeownership Rate73.4%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

20.0%

Active Listings

229

New Listings / Month

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

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

71 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— High inventory — buyers market

6.7 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

8.6%

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

95.6%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy75.4 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Food Insecurity13.7%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index7.8 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score17

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score17

Dental Care Shortage Score17

Healthcare Shortage Score17.0

Healthcare Offices61

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)35.0%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)17.3%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)19.9%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)24.6%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)33.6%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians47

Nursing Home Rating2.0 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients700 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$12,110

Uninsured (under 65)12.0%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression27.4%

Education

Math Test Scores2.98 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.14 grade level

HS Diploma Holders9,044

Bachelor's Degree Holders4,207

HS Completion Rate86.2%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools5

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.6 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate16.7 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Homicide Rate6.3 / 100K

This county

national avg ~7.5/100K

Drug Overdose Rate33.8 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities8

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)75th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)24.3 / 100K

Suicide Rate15.0 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale2.2

January Sunshine0.59

January Temperature0.62

Average Temp58°F

Avg High Temp68°F

Avg Low Temp47°F

Annual Precipitation47.7 in/yr

Avg Storm Events14.0 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$154K

Drought Index (2022)0.23

Heating Degree Days3,773 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days1,069 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)4,228 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)917 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.4

Avg Flood Events / Year2.4

Avg Hail Events / Year3.0

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)55 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)34 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations21 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)6.2 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)14 properties

FAA-Registered Airports3 total

Airports (excl. heliports)2 airports

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed155 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed20 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)364 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)174 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)16 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)46 ms

Households with 100Mbps+69.5%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet16.4%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)126 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations7 stations

DC Fast Chargers20 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers7

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers737 workers

Public Transit Commuters6 workers

Walk to Work223 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)272 workers

Walk to Work1.2%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden32.9%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers12.3 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities5

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout65.6%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)3.941

Nonprofit Organizations145

Veterans Share8.2%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults57.0%

Never-Married Adults25.3%

Divorced Adults10.0%

Religious Organizations54

Asian Population1.1%

Native American Population0.5%

Membership Associations14.8 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.57 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities1

Nursing & Care Facilities20

Grocery Stores9

Hotels & Lodging11

Recreation Businesses11

Professional Services Firms43

Veterinary Practices6

Real Estate Firms29

Museums3

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$52K

Avg Student Loan Balance$6K

Avg Credit Card Balance$3K

Loan Delinquency Rate53.4%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.06%

Politics

R+48

2024 Presidential · North Carolina was R+3 statewide

vs North Carolina State

Income tax

4.5%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.53%0.7% state avg

Politics

R+48R+3

COL Index

County data94 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +346

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Wealthier people moving in (IRS: 1.26x avg income)

Economic Mobility

36%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in McDowell County

Median home value: $261K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — McDowell

WVVA · 6 days ago

Two North Carolina men arrested over FCI McDowell contraband

Two North Carolina men have been arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle contraband into FCI McDo…

McDowell News · 6 days ago

North Carolina sets first elk hunt for 2027. Here's when it will be and who can participate

There are, however, a number of concerns about the hunt, many of them encapsulated by Old Fort resid…

MaxPreps · 6 days ago

Schedule - McDowell Titans (Marion, NC) Basketball 26-27

McDowell Basketball Schedule · 12/28 · 12/29 · 12/30TBA. vsTBA*** (Freedom Christmas Invitational ).…

Carolina Public Press · Jun 2, 2026

Living in legal limbo. Woman living in Canada for years asks NC to rethink criminal charges.

Living in legal limbo. Woman living in Canada for years asks NC to rethink criminal charges. NC view…

EdNC · Jun 23, 2026

Perspective | Good jobs, good futures at McDowell Tech

Dr. J.W. Kelley is the president of McDowell Technical Community College. Recommended reading. Persp…

USAFacts · Jul 7, 2026

Is McDowell County, NC's population growing or shrinking?

Is McDowell County, NC's population growing or shrinking? · It shrank by 100 between 2024 and 2025. …

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

McDowellNorth Carolina

McDowell
North Carolina