Ruth, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 510, Ruth'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

Ruth is a small community located in North Carolina, within Rutherford County. The total population is 510. It ranks as the 585th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ruth is 35.0 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ruth is $51,250. This is 29% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 35.7%. This is 174% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 1.0%. This is 79% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $138,300. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Ruth is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ruth is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.6%. The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

14.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 60% 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 82.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ruth, 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.