City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Graham, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Graham - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,537
Residents
$54,783
Median income
$200,600
Median home
$1,348
Median rent (state)

Graham - the verdict

Nationally, Graham sits in the 27th percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

27th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
50th
percentile, median rent
27th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Graham, NC

Graham is a small town in North Carolina, home to 17,537 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $54,783 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.8%. Graham's housing stock carries a median value of $200,600, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. Educational attainment runs 23.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 517 residential building permits were authorized in Graham (Building Boom), up 433% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2226.8 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,348 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 77.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

17,537 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$54,783 /yr

Poverty 14.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Graham compare to other US cities?

Where Graham sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 27% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 50% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Graham ranks #87 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Graham's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

27thIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

27th percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Graham's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Graham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Graham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Graham's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$200,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Graham $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Graham, NC Graham, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Graham, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Graham, NC median $54,783/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Graham, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Graham, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
17,537
Median Income
$54,783
Median Home Value
$200,600
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
14.8%
Labor force participation
58.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2226.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
346.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1880.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,000 residents17,000 residents18,000 residents19,000 residents20,000 residents21,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,166 residents 20,131 residents ▲ +17.3%
Graham's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
517
housing units authorized
Single-Family
517
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
29.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 97
2020 133
2021 388
2022 227
2023 546
2024 517

Permit volume increased 433% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.4%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
7.7%
Other
2.2%

Based on 8,083 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Graham sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,348/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Morganton
17,541 people
Murraysville
17,307 people
Hope Mills
17,823 people
Mount Holly
17,928 people
Pinehurst
17,992 people
Lenoir
18,282 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Graham's 17,537 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lake St. Louis, MO
17,538 people
Eastlake, OH
17,538 people
Camano, WA
17,535 people
Takoma Park, MD
17,522 people
McKeesport, PA
17,520 people
Wahiawa, HI
17,515 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Graham's $54,783 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Big Bass Lake, PA
$54,785 median income
Middletown, PA
$54,778 median income
Edinburg, VA
$54,775 median income
Tombstone, AZ
$54,792 median income
Falls, CT
$54,792 median income
Broadus, MT
$54,792 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Graham, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Graham, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 56.0% 23.5% 10.5% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.6% White 56.0% Black or African American 23.5% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 10.5% Two or more races 8.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Graham compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Graham (this city) 17,537 $54,783
Morganton 17,541 $49,434
Murraysville 17,307 $75,720
Hope Mills 17,823 $60,671
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Graham, NC?

What is the population of Graham, NC? +

The population of Graham, NC stands at 17,537 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Graham, NC? +

In Graham, the typical household earns $54,783 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Graham? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Graham; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Graham, NC safe? +

Graham has a total crime rate of 2226.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Graham, NC? +

A typical home in Graham is worth $200,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.