Town · North Carolina
Beech Mountain, North Carolina
Beech Mountain, town, mostly in Watauga County (90.8% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Avery County, North Carolina. Beech Mountain had 659 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 675 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 987 (±152). GEOID 3704510.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
659
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 675 · ACS 2020-2024: 987 ±152
Median household income
$90,855
±$16,861 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$443,500
±$26,411 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,137
±$31 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Beech Mountain and what county is it in?
Beech Mountain is a town mostly in Watauga County (90.8% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Avery County, North Carolina. It covers 6.5 square miles of land, 104 residents per square mile in 2020.
Beech Mountain is in the Boone, NC micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Watauga County | 613 | 90.8% |
| Avery County | 62 | 9.2% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Beech Mountain, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 659 people lived in Beech Mountain on July 1, 2025, down 0.9% since 2020, while North Carolina grew 7.2%. The 2020 Census counted 675 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 987 (±152).
| Measure | Beech Mountain | Watauga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 987 ±152 | 55,123 | +373 |
| Households | 515 ±69 | 21,198 | +211 |
| Average household size | 1.92 ±0.17 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,416 ±134 | 33,355 | no clear change |
Beech Mountain's population since 2000
From 310 in 2000 to 659 in 2025: up 112.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Beech Mountain as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Beech Mountain?
The median resident of Beech Mountain is 61.7 years old; 8.6% are under 18 and 40.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.3%. 3.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Beech Mountain | Watauga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.7 ±3.7 | 31.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 8.6% ±3.7 pts | 12.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 40.7% ±6.9 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Male | 51.7% ±4.6 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% ±1.6 pts | 6.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.0% ±3.0 pts | 88.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.7 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.3 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.3% ±1.8 pts | 3.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.8% ±2.4 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.9% ±3.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| With a disability | 13.6% ±3.8 pts | 12.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.2% ±6.8 pts | 9.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±2.1 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 53.4% ±6.3 pts | 48.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 26.6% ±4.9 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.5% ±7.1 pts | 75.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.6% ±3.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Beech Mountain earn?
Half of Beech Mountain's 515 households earn less than $90,855 a year (±$16,861), against $51,693 in Watauga County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $91,071 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Beech Mountain | Watauga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,855 ±$16,861 | $51,693 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $149,293 ±$26,254 | $83,665 | – |
| Per capita income | $82,320 ±$13,966 | $34,167 | +$23,434 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.4% ±3.0 pts | 25.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.2% ±2.8 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.6% ±1.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.5% ±1.7 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.3% ±2.3 pts | 90.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Beech Mountain?
Owners occupy 89.3% of Beech Mountain's occupied homes and renters 10.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $443,500 by its owner (±$26,411). The median renter pays $1,137 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Beech Mountain | Watauga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $443,500 ±$26,411 | $358,900 | +$126,227 |
| Median gross rent | $1,137 ±$31 | $1,127 | −$267 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0% ±51.7 pts | 58.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,910 ±$92 | $1,668 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 89.3% ±4.6 pts | 62.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 10.7% ±4.6 pts | 37.9% | – |
| Housing units | 2,416 ±134 | 33,355 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 14.0% ±8.6 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 49.6% ±24.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 71.6% ±4.3 pts | 63.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.2% ±0.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.7% ±1.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.8% ±4.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Beech Mountain building?
Builders took permits for 31 new housing units in Beech Mountain in 2025 (31 in single-family houses), 47.0 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Beech Mountain work and get to work?
52.0% of Beech Mountain's workers drive alone and 30.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.3%.
| Measure | Beech Mountain | Watauga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.7% ±6.4 pts | 59.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.3% ±5.3 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 52.0% ±9.1 pts | 72.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.8% ±7.4 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Walked | 2.5% ±2.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 30.2% ±8.8 pts | 10.4% | +16.2 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.1 min ±3.6 | 21.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Beech Mountain?
1 census tract lies mostly in Beech Mountain, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9210Watauga County | 955 | $87,500 |
| Tract 9301Avery County | 3,684 | $66,328 |
| Tract 9209Watauga County | 4,249 | $59,432 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Beech Mountain) · Census block assignment files
How does Beech Mountain compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Beech Mountain is the 12,083rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 389th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Beech Mountain is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 389th | 549 |
Beech Mountain's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Beech Mountain with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Beech Mountain?
17 of the 57 figures for Beech Mountain on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Beech Mountain are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Beech Mountain.