Rutherford County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

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

Rutherford County, North Carolina has a population of 64,930, the 43rd most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $51,410 and the median home value is $201,800. The poverty rate is 16.8%.

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

Rutherford County Quick Facts

Population 64,930

Median Household Income $51,410

Median Home Value $201,800

Poverty Rate 16.8%

Unemployment Rate 6.3%

Median Age 45.3 years

Homeownership Rate 73.9%

Affordability Ratio 3.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.5%

High School Graduation 87.2%

Cities/Places 11

Population 64,930 43rd of 100

Median Income $51,410 29% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.8%

Unemployment 6.3%

How Rutherford 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	64,850	64,930	+0.1%
Median household income	$49,771	$51,410	+3.3%
Median home value	$180,800	$201,800	+11.6%

Median Household Income

Rutherford

$51,410

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Rutherford

$201,800

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.2%

$25K-$50K 26.4%

$50K-$100K 30.3%

$100K+ 21.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.4%

$10K-$15K

5.6%

$15K-$20K

5.0%

$20K-$25K

6.1%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

6.3%

$35K-$40K

5.5%

$40K-$45K

5.4%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

9.5%

$75K-$100K

13.3%

$100K-$125K

7.4%

$125K-$150K

5.2%

$150K-$200K

4.6%

$200K+

3.9%

Employment

6.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

54.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.9%

Renter 26.1%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $783/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.1%

18-34

18.6%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

28.0%

75+

9.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Rutherford County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Forest City	7,363	$35,524	32.1%	$160,800
Spindale	4,131	$41,262	21.8%	$167,400
Rutherfordton	3,680	$59,375	12.7%	$288,400
Lake Lure	1,543	$80,357	11.5%	$627,000
Ellenboro	901	$49,769	18.3%	$164,400
Ruth	510	$51,250	35.7%	$138,300
Cliffside	438	$51,438	7.1%	N/A
Bostic	433	$57,813	17.8%	$171,900
Henrietta	197	N/A	20.8%	$162,500
Chimney Rock Village	122	$64,375	8.2%	$477,300
Caroleen	116	N/A	29.3%	$137,500

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

Rutherford County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 64,930. It is the 43rd most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rutherford County is 45.3 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rutherford County is $51,410. This is 29% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.8%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 35% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $201,800. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 73.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rutherford County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 7.7%. The Black or African American population (7.7%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

21.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% 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 87.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, North Carolina?

Rutherford County has a population of 64,930, making it the 43rd most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Rutherford County?

The median household income in Rutherford County is $51,410 with a poverty rate of 16.8%.

How many cities are in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

Rutherford County contains 11 Census-designated places.