Mitchell County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Mitchell 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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B
Health Around average
-
D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,959 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 67.5 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.23% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.8 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,578 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Mitchell County declined by 4.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 14,959 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Mitchell County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 24.0% of residents. That is 7.0 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,622 17.5% -4.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,689 18.0% -3.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,249 21.7% +1.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,588 24.0% +7.0 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Mitchell County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,009 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.66% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Mitchell County is about 21% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $278,731 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $813 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.3% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Mitchell County is about 28.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $813 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Mitchell County spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 177 hours, about 7.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.2 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 42.4 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 177 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,477 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,492 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 380 | 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 Mitchell County is 21 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
Mitchell County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.20 | 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
Mitchell County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.4 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.7% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.6% | 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).
Mitchell County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
How Mitchell County, NC compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County, NC | 14,959 | $57,009 #2/3 | $278,731 #1/3 | 21.2 min #1/3 |
| Carter County, TN | 56,703 | $50,141 | $144,997 | 21.8 min |
| McDowell County, NC | 44,809 | $57,967 | $202,989 | 22.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Mitchell County, North Carolina.
How many people live in Mitchell County, North Carolina?
About 14,959 people live in Mitchell County, North Carolina, in 6,578 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 45.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
Is Mitchell County, North Carolina urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Mitchell County, North Carolina has 67 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Is Mitchell County, North Carolina an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 4.9 times the median household income ($278,731 against $57,009), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $813 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Mitchell County, North Carolina?
20.3% of adults in Mitchell 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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