Blowing Rock, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 992, Blowing Rock's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Blowing Rock is a small community located in North Carolina, within Caldwell County. The total population is 992. It ranks as the 459th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Blowing Rock is 59.7 years. This is 53% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 8.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 14.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Blowing Rock is $120,938. This is 67% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 50% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.4%. This is 82% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 0.4%. This is 92% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $705,000. Housing costs are 144% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.8x. 83.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Blowing Rock has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.5% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 2.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (93.5% vs 60.0%). The Black or African American population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 20.0%.

Education

64.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Blowing Rock in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 80% higher than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.7%. Notably, 28.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Blowing Rock, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.