Ashe County, NC

County

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2021 Population

26,598

1.52% 1-year decline

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

49.1

1.03% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

14%

5.87% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$43,938

2.11% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$170,700

7.9% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Ashe County, NC had a population of 26.6k people with a median age of 49.1 and a median household income of $43,938. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Ashe County, NC declined from 27,009 to 26,598, a −1.52% decrease and its median household income grew from $43,030 to $43,938, a 2.11% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Ashe County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (92.1%), White (Hispanic) (3.79%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.08%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (0.962%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.947%).

None of the households in Ashe County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98% of the residents in Ashe County, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Ashe County, NC was $170,700, and the homeownership rate was 78.8%.

Most people in Ashe County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Ashe County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Ashe County, NC borders Alleghany County, NC, Watauga County, NC, Wilkes County, NC, Johnson County, TN, and Grayson County, VA.

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Ashe County, NC is home to a population of 26.6k people, from which 98% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.27% of Ashe County, NC residents were born outside of the country (871 people).

In 2021, there were 24.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (24.5k people) in Ashe County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.01k White (Hispanic) and 288 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

98%

2021 Citizenship

98%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98% of Ashe County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Ashe County, NC was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Ashe County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Ashe County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
24.5k ± 18
White (Hispanic)
1.01k ± 193
Two+ (Hispanic)
288 ± 165

5.21%

Hispanic Population

1.39k people

5.21% of the people in Ashe County, NC are hispanic (1.39k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Ashe County, NC as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

3.27%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

871 people

3.32%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

896 people

As of 2021, 3.27% of Ashe County, NC residents (871 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Ashe County, NC was 3.32%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Ashe County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
812 ± 225
Gulf War (1990s)
238 ± 115
Gulf War (2001-)
215 ± 107

Ashe County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.41 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Ashe County, NC employs 12.2k people. The largest industries in Ashe County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,731 people), Retail Trade (1,679 people), and Construction (1,542 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($84,750), Information ($68,750), and Wholesale Trade ($65,295).

Employment

Occupations

12.2k

2021 Value

± 843

−1.23%

1 Year decline

± 9.74%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Ashe County, NC declined at a rate of −1.23%, from 12.4k employees to 12.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Ashe County, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,351 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,268 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1,209 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Ashe County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

12.2k

2021 Value

± 843

−1.23%

1 Year decline

± 9.74%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Ashe County, NC declined at a rate of −1.23%, from 12.4k employees to 12.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Ashe County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,731 people), Retail Trade (1,679 people), and Construction (1,542 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Ashe County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Ashe County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$33,507

Median earning men ± $2,023

$28,823

Median earning women ± $1,440

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($70,159), Wholesale Trade ($65,927), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,357).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($61,522), Wholesale Trade ($52,298), and Public Administration ($40,882).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

151
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
128
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
117
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Ashe County, NC went to Donald J. Trump with 72.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (26.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.797%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (72.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (26.3%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.797%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Ashe County, NC went to Donald J. Trump with 72.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (26.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.797%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Ashe County, NC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2021, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.13M), Some college (1.85M), and Bachelors Degree (1.58M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Ashe County, NC was $170,700 in 2021, which is 0.697 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $158,200 to $170,700, a 7.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Ashe County, NC is 78.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Ashe County, NC have an average commute time of 25.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Ashe County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Ashe County, NC is $43,938. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Ashe County, NC was Census Tract 9703 with a value of $47,297, followed by Census Tract 9704 and Census Tract 9702, with respective values of $46,989 and $40,283.

Property

$170,700

Median Property Value 2021

±$12,720

$9,243

Median Property Taxes

±$720

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Ashe County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Ashe County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

78.8%

Homeownership

2021

66.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 78.8% of the housing units in Ashe County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 79%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Ashe County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9703
Census Tract 9704
Census Tract 9702

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Ashe County, NC was Census Tract 9703 with a value of $47,297, followed by Census Tract 9704 and Census Tract 9702, with respective values of $46,989 and $40,283.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Ashe County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$43,938

Median Household Income

± $2,235

11.7k

Number of Households

± 813

In 2021, the median household income of the 11.7k households in Ashe County, NC grew to $43,938 from the previous year's value of $43,030.

The following chart displays the households in Ashe County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Ashe County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.00774% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (78.6%)
Carpooled (12.1%)
Worked At Home (7.22%)

In 2021, 78.6% of workers in Ashe County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.1%) and those who worked at home (7.22%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Ashe County, NC have a shorter commute time (25.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.44% of the workforce in Ashe County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Ashe County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Ashe County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Ashe County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

14% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Ashe County, NC (3.68k out of 26.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 45 - 54, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Ashe County, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.6% of the population of Ashe County, NC has health coverage, with 37.2% on employee plans, 15.8% on Medicaid, 18.2% on Medicare, 16.7% on non-group plans, and 0.645% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Ashe County, NC see 1943 patients per year on average, which represents a 14% decrease from the previous year (2259 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3018 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 617 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48% were men and 52% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,943 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Ashe County, NC

Primary care physicians in Ashe County, NC see an average of 1,943 patients per year. This represents a 14% decrease from the previous year (2,259 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Ashe County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.9% under 18 years, 15.2% between 18 and 34 years, 40.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 25.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48% were men and 52% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.4%

Uninsured

37.2%

Employer Coverage

15.8%

Medicaid

18.2%

Medicare

16.7%

Non-Group

0.645%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Ashe County, NC grew by 1.04% from 11.3% to 11.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Ashe County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Ashe County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Ashe County, NC.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34% in Ashe County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Ashe County, NC.

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