City · North Carolina
Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton, city, in Burke County, North Carolina. Morganton had 17,849 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 17,474 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 17,646 (±35). GEOID 3744400.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
17,849
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 17,474 · ACS 2020-2024: 17,646 ±35
Median household income
$51,355
±$2,582 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$221,700
±$21,415 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$944
±$40 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Morganton and what county is it in?
Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina. It covers 19.2 square miles of land, 909 residents per square mile in 2020.
Morganton 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 Morganton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 17,849 people lived in Morganton on July 1, 2025, up 2.3% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 17,474 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 17,646 (±35).
| Measure | Morganton | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 17,646 ±35 | 87,795 | +1,165 |
| Households | 6,888 ±324 | 36,306 | +707 |
| Average household size | 2.40 ±0.11 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 7,547 ±360 | 40,358 | no clear change |
Morganton's population since 2000
From 17,310 in 2000 to 17,849 in 2025: up 3.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Morganton 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 Morganton?
The median resident of Morganton is 37.8 years old; 24.4% are under 18 and 22.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 58.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 22.6%. 10.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Morganton | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 ±3.7 | 44.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.4% ±2.6 pts | 18.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.0% ±2.5 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±2.5 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 22.6% ±2.9 pts | 8.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 58.4% ±4.1 pts | 79.1% | −7.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 14.3% ±3.0 pts | 6.1% | +6.2 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.0 pts | 3.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±1.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.6% ±2.6 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.0% ±3.8 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.6% ±1.1 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 18.3% ±3.3 pts | 18.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 18.4% ±3.3 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 81.2% ±3.8 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.1% ±4.0 pts | 21.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.4% ±2.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.2% ±4.6 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±0.8 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 Morganton earn?
Half of Morganton's 6,888 households earn less than $51,355 a year (±$2,582), against $58,592 in Burke County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $51,858 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Morganton | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,355 ±$2,582 | $58,592 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,877 ±$8,155 | $77,743 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,317 ±$2,919 | $32,977 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.7% ±5.0 pts | 15.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 47.1% ±11.6 pts | 26.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.7% ±4.3 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.9% ±1.9 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.4% ±2.6 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 Morganton?
Owners occupy 54.7% of Morganton's occupied homes and renters 45.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $221,700 by its owner (±$21,415). The median renter pays $944 a month including utilities, and 38.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Morganton | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $221,700 ±$21,415 | $185,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $944 ±$40 | $884 | +$101 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.6% ±9.3 pts | 30.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,286 ±$98 | $1,220 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.7% ±4.5 pts | 74.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.3% ±4.5 pts | 25.5% | – |
| Housing units | 7,547 ±360 | 40,358 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.3% ±1.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.9% ±4.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.0% ±4.8 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.8% ±3.1 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.2% ±1.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5% ±1.5 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.7% ±3.0 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.7% ±3.2 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 many new homes is Morganton building?
Builders took permits for 88 new housing units in Morganton in 2025 (11 in single-family houses), 4.9 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 Morganton work and get to work?
75.6% of Morganton's workers drive alone and 8.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.8%.
| Measure | Morganton | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.4% ±4.0 pts | 57.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% ±2.0 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.6% ±5.5 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.9% ±5.9 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.1% ±2.7 pts | 5.4% | +4.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.7 min ±1.6 | 23.4 min | −3.6 min |
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 Morganton?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Morganton, and 8 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $48,636 (Tract 206) to $57,567 (Tract 205).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 206Burke County | 6,112 | $48,636 |
| Tract 214Burke County | 4,704 | $49,107 |
| Tract 205Burke County | 2,759 | $57,567 |
| Tract 202.02Burke County | 4,313 | $64,699 |
| Tract 213.01Burke County | 5,710 | $55,525 |
| Tract 203.01Burke County | 5,362 | $55,020 |
| Tract 208.02Burke County | 2,802 | $70,769 |
| Tract 203.03Burke County | 4,502 | $72,859 |
| Tract 212.01Burke County | 3,856 | $69,766 |
| Tract 208.01Burke County | 5,772 | $62,639 |
| Tract 201Burke County | 3,927 | $55,034 |
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 Morganton) · Census block assignment files
How does Morganton compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Morganton is the 2,123rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 62nd-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Morganton ranks 311th 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 | 62nd | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 236th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 222nd | 443 |
| Median household income | 311th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 296th | 443 |
| Median home value | 259th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 231st | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 65th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 215th | 421 |
| Median age | 298th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 330th | 443 |
| Work from home | 226th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 409th | 439 |
Morganton's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Morganton 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 Morganton?
8 of the 57 figures for Morganton 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 Morganton 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 Morganton.