Cleveland County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Cleveland County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Cleveland County, North Carolina has a population of 100,991, the 29th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $58,534 and the median home value is $200,000. The poverty rate is 16.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Cleveland County Quick Facts

Population 100,991

Median Household Income $58,534

Median Home Value $200,000

Poverty Rate 16.6%

Unemployment Rate 5.2%

Median Age 41.3 years

Homeownership Rate 70.9%

Affordability Ratio 3.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.9%

High School Graduation 88.4%

Cities/Places 15

Population 100,991 29th of 100

Median Income $58,534 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.6%

Unemployment 5.2%

How Cleveland County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	100,170	100,991	+0.8%
Median household income	$55,769	$58,534	+5.0%
Median home value	$180,200	$200,000	+11.0%

Median Household Income

Cleveland

$58,534

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cleveland

$200,000

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.0%

$25K-$50K 24.0%

$50K-$100K 28.8%

$100K+ 27.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

4.9%

$20K-$25K

4.1%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

5.2%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

4.4%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

10.7%

$75K-$100K

11.1%

$100K-$125K

11.3%

$125K-$150K

5.6%

$150K-$200K

5.8%

$200K+

4.5%

Employment

5.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

58.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.9%

Renter 29.1%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $914/mo 18.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.3%

18-34

21.5%

35-54

23.4%

55-74

25.3%

75+

7.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cleveland County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Shelby	22,100	$48,376	17.6%	$197,200
Boiling Springs	4,757	$89,875	2.2%	$265,400
Belwood	893	$51,299	14.8%	$214,500
Patterson Springs	845	$58,250	23.2%	$142,200
Lawndale	739	$39,250	23.3%	$116,800
Grover	621	$36,736	17.9%	$127,800
Fallston	616	$56,250	29.5%	$88,600
Polkville	536	$74,688	10.1%	$179,500
Lattimore	526	$81,250	4.6%	$169,700
Kingstown	381	$30,750	21.8%	$92,400
Casar	373	$60,875	28.7%	$215,400
Earl	309	$44,033	19.4%	$163,400
Light Oak	277	$63,333	31.4%	$89,200
Mooresboro	190	$49,464	15.3%	$225,000
Waco	171	N/A	2.9%	$92,500

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cleveland County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 100,991. It is the 29th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cleveland County is 41.3 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cleveland County is $58,534. This is 19% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.6%. This is 27% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $200,000. Housing costs are 31% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 70.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cleveland County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 70.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 17.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

21.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% lower 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 88.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cleveland County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cleveland County, North Carolina?

Cleveland County has a population of 100,991, making it the 29th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Cleveland County?

The median household income in Cleveland County is $58,534 with a poverty rate of 16.6%.

How many cities are in Cleveland County, North Carolina?

Cleveland County contains 15 Census-designated places.