Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

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

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has a population of 1,154,681, the 2nd most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $87,005 and the median home value is $406,800. The poverty rate is 10.4%.

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

Mecklenburg County Quick Facts

Population 1,154,681

Median Household Income $87,005

Median Home Value $406,800

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Unemployment Rate 4.3%

Median Age 35.5 years

Homeownership Rate 55.1%

Affordability Ratio 4.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 49.2%

High School Graduation 90.8%

Cities/Places 10

Population 1,154,681 2nd of 100

Median Income $87,005 20% higher than state

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Unemployment 4.3%

How Mecklenburg 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	1,130,906	1,154,681	+2.1%
Median household income	$83,765	$87,005	+3.9%
Median home value	$371,200	$406,800	+9.6%

Median Household Income

Mecklenburg

$87,005

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Mecklenburg

$406,800

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.4%

$25K-$50K 15.9%

$50K-$100K 28.9%

$100K+ 43.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

2.3%

$15K-$20K

2.3%

$20K-$25K

2.5%

$25K-$30K

2.4%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

3.6%

$45K-$50K

3.6%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

12.7%

$100K-$125K

10.0%

$125K-$150K

7.4%

$150K-$200K

10.1%

$200K+

16.3%

Employment

4.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

72.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 55.1%

Renter 44.9%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,627/mo 22.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.8%

18-34

26.4%

35-54

27.8%

55-74

18.4%

75+

4.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Mecklenburg County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Charlotte	903,844	$82,068	11.7%	$385,700
Huntersville	63,969	$120,516	3.1%	$472,900
Cornelius	32,783	$113,767	5.4%	$559,400
Matthews	30,577	$108,611	3.7%	$445,100
Mint Hill	27,556	$100,860	8.4%	$428,900
Stallings	16,886	$115,974	4.8%	$428,000
Davidson	15,660	$166,556	7.0%	$687,700
Weddington	13,805	$190,766	4.0%	$824,100
Pineville	11,055	$69,354	13.8%	$395,100
Midland	4,860	$101,477	4.1%	$369,100

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

Mecklenburg County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 1,154,681. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mecklenburg County is 35.5 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Mecklenburg County is $87,005. This is 20% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 8% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.4%. This is 20% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $406,800. Housing costs are 41% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.7x. 55.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Mecklenburg County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Black or African American residents account for 29.7%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (6.3% vs 3.3%).

Education

49.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Mecklenburg County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 38% 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 90.8%. Notably, 17.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?

Mecklenburg County has a population of 1,154,681, making it the 2nd most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Mecklenburg County?

The median household income in Mecklenburg County is $87,005 with a poverty rate of 10.4%.

How many cities are in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?

Mecklenburg County contains 10 Census-designated places.