Alleghany County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Alleghany County, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 73% of counties in North Carolina
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,122 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 47.1 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.30% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 50.2 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,170 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Alleghany County grew by 2.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 11,122 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Alleghany County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 27.7% of residents. That is 10.7 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,746 15.7% -6.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,899 17.1% -4.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,401 21.6% +1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,080 27.7% +10.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.6% of the people living in Alleghany County and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 49.4% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Alleghany County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Alleghany County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,997 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.87% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Alleghany County is about 35% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $111,956 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $675 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.4% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Alleghany County is about 13.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $675 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Alleghany County spend about 38 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 158 hours, about 6.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 19.0 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 38.0 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 158 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,904 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,484 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 441 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Carolina:
Macon County (17.2 min), Watauga County (17.2 min), Dare County (17.4 min).
Slowest:
Gates County (35.9 min), Currituck County (33.9 min), Tyrrell County (33.6 min).
The average commute time in Alleghany County is 19 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Alleghany County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.11 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.5), Wake County (0.4), Durham County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hyde County (0.2), Greene County (0.2), Tyrrell County (0.2).
Health
Alleghany County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 19.7% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.2% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.8), Wake County (0.8), Watauga County (0.8).
Lowest:
Robeson County (0.8), Lenoir County (0.8), Halifax County (0.8).
Alleghany County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
Alleghany County, NC is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 11,122 residents against a local median of 28,184. Where Alleghany County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 18% below the local median of $57,139 at $46,997. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $5,670 on median household income, so Alleghany County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Alleghany County, NC has the 4th highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany County, NC | 11,122 | $46,997 #4/4 | $111,956 #3/4 | 19.0 min #1/4 |
| Wilkes County, NC | 65,914 | $51,695 | $19,444 | 21.0 min |
| Ashe County, NC | 26,946 | $57,366 | $251,500 | 21.6 min |
| Wythe County, VA | 28,184 | $57,139 | $130,514 | 20.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Alleghany County, North Carolina.
How many people live in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
About 11,122 people live in Alleghany County, North Carolina, in 5,170 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 50.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 13 years.
How densely populated is Alleghany County, North Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Alleghany County, North Carolina has 47 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 54% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 2.4 times the median household income ($111,956 against $46,997), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $675 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Alleghany County, North Carolina is only 3.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Alleghany County, North Carolina have a college degree?
20.3% of adults in Alleghany County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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