Mecklenburg County, NC

County

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2021 Population

1.1M

0.531% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

35.4

0.568% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

10.6%

3.02% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$73,124

5.61% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$276,200

8.95% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

591,051

1.19% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Mecklenburg County, NC had a population of 1.1M people with a median age of 35.4 and a median household income of $73,124. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Mecklenburg County, NC grew from 1.1M to 1.1M, a 0.531% increase and its median household income grew from $69,240 to $73,124, a 5.61% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mecklenburg County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (45.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (31%), Other (Hispanic) (6.2%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6%), and White (Hispanic) (4.31%).

None of the households in Mecklenburg 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.

90.1% of the residents in Mecklenburg County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mecklenburg County, NC are University of North Carolina at Charlotte (8,764 degrees awarded in 2021), Central Piedmont Community College (4,084 degrees), and Queens University of Charlotte (846 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Mecklenburg County, NC was $276,200, and the homeownership rate was 56.4%.

Most people in Mecklenburg County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Mecklenburg County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Mecklenburg County, NC borders Cabarrus County, NC, Gaston County, NC, Iredell County, NC, Lincoln County, NC, Union County, NC, Lancaster County, SC, and York County, SC.

Photo by Geoff Parsons

United States North Carolina Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Population & Diversity

Mecklenburg County, NC is home to a population of 1.1M people, from which 90.1% are citizens. As of 2021, 16% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents were born outside of the country (176k people).

In 2021, there were 1.47 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (502k people) in Mecklenburg County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 341k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 68.3k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

90.1%

2021 Citizenship

90.1%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 90.1% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC was 90.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mecklenburg County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
502k ± 819
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
341k ± 2.22k
Other (Hispanic)
68.3k ± 3.02k

13.7%

Hispanic Population

151k people

13.7% of the people in Mecklenburg County, NC are hispanic (151k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
219,250 ± 11,374 people
India
77,157 ± 6,794 people
Honduras
37,868 ± 4,769 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 219,250 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 77,157 and Honduras with 37,868.

Foreign-Born Population

16%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

176k people

15.8%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

173k people

As of 2021, 16% of Mecklenburg County, NC residents (176k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC was 15.8%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
12,829 ± 746
Gulf War (2001-)
11,634 ± 1,114
Gulf War (1990s)
9,448 ± 801

Mecklenburg County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.1 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mecklenburg County, NC employs 591k people. The largest industries in Mecklenburg County, NC are Finance & Insurance (67,893 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,574 people), and Retail Trade (62,523 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($96,614), Utilities ($90,107), and Finance & Insurance ($87,333).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,490. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

591k

2021 Value

± 6,890

1.19%

1 Year growth

± 1.65%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Mecklenburg County, NC grew at a rate of 1.19%, from 584k employees to 591k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mecklenburg County, NC, are Management Occupations (78,225 people), Sales & Related Occupations (66,740 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (61,752 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mecklenburg 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

591k

2021 Value

± 6,890

1.19%

1 Year growth

± 1.65%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Mecklenburg County, NC grew at a rate of 1.19%, from 584k employees to 591k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mecklenburg County, NC, are Finance & Insurance (67,893 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,574 people), and Retail Trade (62,523 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mecklenburg County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Mecklenburg County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$52,459

Median earning men ± $835

$39,683

Median earning women ± $619

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($101,210), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($75,610), and Information ($66,109).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($66,970), Public Administration ($48,586), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($46,039).

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

11,647
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
9,268
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
8,732
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$28.6M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$11.4M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$9.45M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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 Mecklenburg County, NC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 66.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (31.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.957%).

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

Joseph R Biden Jr. (66.7%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (31.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.957%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mecklenburg 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

In 2021, universities in Mecklenburg County, NC awarded 15,622 degrees. The student population of Mecklenburg County, NC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 25,046 male students and 30,521 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mecklenburg County, NC are White (7,843 and 53.8%), followed by Black or African American (3,221 and 22.1%), Hispanic or Latino (1,577 and 10.8%), and Asian (911 and 6.25%).

The largest universities in Mecklenburg County, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina at Charlotte (8,764 and 56.1%), Central Piedmont Community College (4,084 and 26.1%), and Queens University of Charlotte (846 and 5.42%).

The most popular majors in Mecklenburg County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,500 and 9.6%), Computer Science (910 and 5.83%), and General Business Administration & Management (757 and 4.85%).

The median tuition costs in Mecklenburg County, NC are $35,750 for private four year colleges, and $8,698 and $15,415 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Mecklenburg County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 66%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 55,567 (45.1% men and 54.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 55,567 students enrolled in Mecklenburg County, NC, 45.1% men and 54.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 26,383 records, of which 51.9% were women and 48.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
663 degrees awarded
Health Care Administration & Management
457 degrees awarded
General Psychology
449 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mecklenburg County, NC was Computer Science with 663 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mecklenburg County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of North Carolina at Charlotte
8,764 degrees awarded
Central Piedmont Community College
4,084 degrees awarded
Queens University of Charlotte
846 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina at Charlotte with 8,764 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 6,754 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mecklenburg County, NC, which is 0.762 times less than the 8,868 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,843 degrees mean that there were 2.43 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3,221 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($35,750) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,503) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,870) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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 Mecklenburg County, NC was $276,200 in 2021, which is 1.13 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $253,500 to $276,200, a 8.95% increase. The homeownership rate in Mecklenburg County, NC is 56.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Mecklenburg County, NC have an average commute time of 25.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mecklenburg County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mecklenburg County, NC is $73,124. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mecklenburg County, NC was Census Tract 28 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 27.01 and Census Tract 27.02, with respective values of $217,634 and $211,231.

In 2022, 15.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.783%.

Housing

Property

$276,200

Median Property Value 2021

±$2,618

$245,766

Median Property Taxes

±$3,829

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 Mecklenburg County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

56.4%

Homeownership

2021

67.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 56.4% of the housing units in Mecklenburg County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 56.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mecklenburg 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 28
Census Tract 27.01
Census Tract 27.02

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mecklenburg County, NC was Census Tract 28 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 27.01 and Census Tract 27.02, with respective values of $217,634 and $211,231.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mecklenburg 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.

$73,124

Median Household Income

± $840

436k

Number of Households

± 5,541

In 2021, the median household income of the 436k households in Mecklenburg County, NC grew to $73,124 from the previous year's value of $69,240.

The following chart displays the households in Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg 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 (69.3%)
Worked At Home (17.1%)
Carpooled (8.07%)

In 2021, 69.3% of workers in Mecklenburg County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.1%) and those who carpooled to work (8.07%).

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

25.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mecklenburg County, NC have a shorter commute time (25.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.05% of the workforce in Mecklenburg County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mecklenburg County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 15.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.783%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mecklenburg County, NC (115k out of 1.08M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mecklenburg County, NC is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 16.3% of the children was living in poverty in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 584 in Mecklenburg County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 2.46 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

88.4% of the population of Mecklenburg County, NC has health coverage, with 53.9% on employee plans, 13% on Medicaid, 8.47% on Medicare, 11.7% on non-group plans, and 1.27% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mecklenburg County, NC see 1126 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.705% decrease from the previous year (1134 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1427 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 301 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.5% were men and 52.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,126 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mecklenburg County, NC

Primary care physicians in Mecklenburg County, NC see an average of 1,126 patients per year. This represents a 0.705% decrease from the previous year (1,134 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.8% under 18 years, 24.6% between 18 and 34 years, 39.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.5% were men and 52.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.6%

Uninsured

53.9%

Employer Coverage

13%

Medicaid

8.47%

Medicare

11.7%

Non-Group

1.27%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mecklenburg County, NC grew by 1.88% from 11.4% to 11.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mecklenburg 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 49.1 in Mecklenburg County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mecklenburg 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 28.7% in Mecklenburg County, NC.

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

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