Live Federal Data

Burke County, North Carolina

FIPS 37023 · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC · Pop. 87,795
7 Sources Mar 15, 2026
$58,592
Median Income
4.4%
Unemployment
42,542
Labor Force
21.0%
Bachelor's+
Data / United States / North Carolina / Burke County
Demographics Economy Industry Concentration Housing Workforce AI Insights

Demographics & Population

Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 · 5-Year Estimates

Household Income

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$58,592
Per Capita
$32,977
Mean Household
$77,743
Poverty Rate
15.6%
Median Income Comparison
Burke County$58,592
North Carolina Average$72,388
National$80,734

Age Distribution

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 · Table B01001 · Median Age: 45
45 Median Age
Under 18 18-34 35-54 55-64 65+

Educational Attainment

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
86 PERCENT
High School+
Natl: 89.6%
21 PERCENT
Bachelor's+
Natl: 35.7%
7 PERCENT
Graduate+
Natl: 13.3%

Population Overview

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates
87,795
Population
42,542
Labor Force
Employed
40,677
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Mean Commute
23.4 min
Work From Home
5.4%
Burke County is home to 87,795 residents with a median household income of $58,592, below both state and national medians. The workforce of 42,542 shows 21.0% with a bachelor's degree or higher.
All figures from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release - older news reports may cite prior vintages.

Economy & Industry

Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW

Top Industries by Employment

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics · Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages 2024 Annual
IndustryEmploymentAvg Wage
1Manufacturing		 7,515 $53,751
2Health Care & Social Assistance		 4,591 $64,669
3Retail Trade		 3,006 $31,700
4Accommodation & Food Services		 2,899 $20,003
5Administrative & Support & Waste Management		 1,355 $35,463
6Construction		 810 $54,539
7Wholesale Trade		 567 $64,106
8Other Services (except Public Admin)		 504 $39,259
9Professional, Scientific & Technical Services		 409 $60,791
10Finance & Insurance		 357 $67,498
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Industry Concentration

Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.

Concentrated Industries
Source: Census Bureau County Business Patterns · Location Quotient vs. national employment share
Health care and social assistance
2.71x
5,643
Accommodation and food services
2.11x
2,863
Other services (except public administration)
2.03x
1,092

Attraction Opportunities - Below Average Industries

LQ < 0.5 - below-average employment, potential attraction targets. Source: Census Bureau County Business Patterns
0.30x
Information
106 employed
0.42x
Professional, scientific, and technical services
423 employed
0.42x
Educational services
155 employed
0.49x
Finance and insurance
328 employed
Industry Ecosystem
Burke County's Economic Network
Top industries by employment - node size reflects workforce share
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2024 Annual · Private sector, NAICS supersectors

Housing & Affordability

Census ACS

Housing Overview

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$185,400
Median Home Value
$884
Rent/Mo
74.5%
Owner-Occ
10.0%
Vacancy
3.2x
Home Value to Income Ratio

Workforce Pipeline

Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition

Source: Census ACS 2024 · Tables B01001, B23025
52,596
Working Age (18-64)
81% Participation

Commute & Flexibility

Source: Census ACS 2024 · Tables B08303, B08301, B15003
Mean Commute
23.4 min
Work From Home
5.4%
Bachelor's+
21.0%
HS Diploma+
86.0%

Aging Workforce

Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
25.7%
Elevated retirement risk - above the 20% threshold. Succession planning recommended.

AI-Powered Insights

Machine learning analysis across 20+ federal data sources

Industry Shift Analysis

Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100

Prospect Match Scores

Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100

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Economic
Demographic
Housing
Workforce
Median Income
$58,592
vs $75K national
Population
87,795
Unemployment
4.4%
vs 3.9% national
Top Employers
Manufacturing
7,515
Health Care & Social Assistance
4,591
Retail Trade
3,006
Accommodation & Food Services
2,899
Administrative & Support & Waste Management
1,355
Housing
$185,400
Home Value
$884
Rent
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Data Sources

All data from official federal APIs. Auto-refreshed on publication schedules.

Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
FCC Broadband Map2025
USAspending.govFY2026