Income and Poverty in McDowell County, North Carolina

Hispanic households in McDowell County, North Carolina , according to the 2000 census, had a median household income of $29,981, which is 20.9 percent less than the areas median income level for all households. The American Indian and Alaska Native households in McDowell County reported an income level of $35,649, this was 5.9 percent less than the median for all households. Black or African American headed households had median income levels that were 19.7 percent less than the overall reported level in 2000, with a reported median of $30,450. The Asian headed households reported median household incomes of $48,425. This household income level is 27.8 percent greater than the reported median for all households in the area. In McDowell County, North Carolina White headed households reported a median household income (2005 Dollars) of $38,432 according to the 2000 Dencennial Census, which was 1.4 percent greater than the median in the year 2000.

Compared to counties across the United States, McDowell County was reported to have a medium-low median household income of $37,903 (2005 Dollars). This median is 21 percent lower than the median in State of North Carolina of $45,845 and the median is 29.6 percent lower than the median household income in the United States of $49,133.

When compared to other counties (or parishes) across the United States, McDowell County, North Carolina can be considered to have a medium-low rate of poverty among the people, accounting a rate of 11.6 percent of the population with family incomes below the 1999 poverty level. The Hispanic race/ethnicity population cohort, has the uppermost poverty rate with 27.2 percent of the people in 2000 living in poverty. The population that is aged 75 years and over have the most percent of people living in poverty in McDowell County, with 22.9 percent of this age group in the area living in poverty.







Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census.