Town · North Carolina
Hildebran, North Carolina
Hildebran, town, in Burke County, North Carolina. Hildebran had 1,691 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,679 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,207 (±486). GEOID 3731500.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,691
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,679 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,207 ±486
Median household income
$55,703
±$9,066 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$193,900
±$21,111 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$809
±$199 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Hildebran and what county is it in?
Hildebran is a town in Burke County, North Carolina. It covers 2.8 square miles of land, 594 residents per square mile in 2020.
Hildebran is in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Hildebran, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,691 people lived in Hildebran on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,679 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,207 (±486).
| Measure | Hildebran | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,207 ±486 | 87,795 | no clear change |
| Households | 902 ±187 | 36,306 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.45 ±0.28 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 934 ±190 | 40,358 | no clear change |
Hildebran's population since 2000
From 1,472 in 2000 to 1,691 in 2025: up 14.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Hildebran 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 Hildebran?
The median resident of Hildebran is 40.6 years old; 25.3% are under 18 and 14.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 80.4%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 10.2%.
| Measure | Hildebran | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±4.0 | 44.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.3% ±5.4 pts | 18.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.4% ±4.0 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Male | 50.3% ±6.3 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.8% ±5.6 pts | 8.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 80.4% ±9.2 pts | 79.1% | −13.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±3.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 10.2% ±7.2 pts | 3.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±2.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.5% ±4.4 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.3% ±7.3 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±2.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 17.9% ±4.8 pts | 18.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.7% ±4.6 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 81.8% ±5.1 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.7% ±5.9 pts | 21.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.0% ±4.0 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.0% ±3.1 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.2% ±2.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
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 Hildebran earn?
Half of Hildebran's 902 households earn less than $55,703 a year (±$9,066), against $58,592 in Burke County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $49,667 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Hildebran | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,703 ±$9,066 | $58,592 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,553 ±$10,371 | $77,743 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,414 ±$4,514 | $32,977 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.1% ±8.8 pts | 15.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 27.4% ±20.2 pts | 26.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.4% ±7.9 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.1% ±5.4 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.8% ±6.3 pts | 84.7% | – |
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 Hildebran?
Owners occupy 65.1% of Hildebran's occupied homes and renters 34.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $193,900 by its owner (±$21,111). The median renter pays $809 a month including utilities, and 27.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Hildebran | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $193,900 ±$21,111 | $185,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $809 ±$199 | $884 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.0% ±16.4 pts | 30.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,273 ±$128 | $1,220 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.1% ±10.9 pts | 74.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.9% ±10.9 pts | 25.5% | – |
| Housing units | 934 ±190 | 40,358 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.4% ±5.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.9% ±7.8 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.2% ±4.9 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.0% ±2.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.4% ±3.3 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.6% ±8.1 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
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 do people in Hildebran work and get to work?
82.9% of Hildebran's workers drive alone and 5.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.9 minutes.
| Measure | Hildebran | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.3% ±5.5 pts | 57.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% ±5.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 82.9% ±7.1 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.2% ±7.0 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.6% ±3.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.9 min ±2.5 | 23.4 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 Hildebran?
No census tract lies mostly in Hildebran; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 211Burke County | 6,751 | $62,200 |
| Tract 212.02Burke County | 4,660 | $62,917 |
| Tract 210Burke County | 5,124 | $52,342 |
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 Hildebran) · Census block assignment files
How does Hildebran compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Hildebran is the 8,310th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 275th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Hildebran ranks 271st of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 275th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 273rd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 330th | 443 |
| Median household income | 271st | 434 |
| Per capita income | 315th | 443 |
| Median home value | 309th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 306th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 105th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 374th | 421 |
| Median age | 228th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 238th | 443 |
| Work from home | 261st | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 362nd | 439 |
Hildebran's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Hildebran 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 Hildebran?
19 of the 57 figures for Hildebran 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 Hildebran 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 Hildebran.