Scotland County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Scotland County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 34,353. It is the 68th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Scotland County is 38.3 years. This is 2% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Scotland County is $43,500. This is 38% lower than the state median of $69,904. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 26.6%. This is 102% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. 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 10.1%. This is 109% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $109,900. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $259,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Scotland County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 58.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% lower than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Scotland 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 37.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (37.7% vs 20.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 10.9%. The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 3.1%.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 57% lower than the state rate of 34.7%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Scotland County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.