Town · North Carolina
Old Fort, North Carolina
Old Fort, town, in McDowell County, North Carolina. Old Fort had 797 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 811 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 555 (±125). GEOID 3748920.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
797
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 811 · ACS 2020-2024: 555 ±125
Median household income
$47,500
±$5,632 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$135,900
±$32,954 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$818
±$102 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Old Fort and what county is it in?
Old Fort is a town in McDowell County, North Carolina. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 664 residents per square mile in 2020.
Old Fort is in the Marion, NC micropolitan statistical area (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 Old Fort, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 797 people lived in Old Fort on July 1, 2025, down 1.0% since 2020, while North Carolina grew 7.2%. The 2020 Census counted 811 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 555 (±125).
| Measure | Old Fort | McDowell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 555 ±125 | 44,817 | −449 |
| Households | 292 ±67 | 18,638 | −171 |
| Average household size | 1.74 ±0.20 | 2.33 | −0.43 |
| Housing units | 385 ±91 | 21,575 | −163 |
Old Fort's population since 2000
From 963 in 2000 to 797 in 2025: down 17.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Old Fort 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 Old Fort?
The median resident of Old Fort is 53.4 years old; 11.0% are under 18 and 25.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.0%.
| Measure | Old Fort | McDowell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 ±9.4 | 44.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.0% ±5.2 pts | 19.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.8% ±9.2 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Male | 49.5% ±8.3 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.1% ±3.6 pts | 7.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.0% ±7.7 pts | 85.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±4.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±3.9 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.5% ±4.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.1% ±8.3 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 27.6% ±7.9 pts | 17.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.5% ±3.5 pts | 11.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.5% ±4.1 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.5% ±10.7 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.0% ±6.9 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.9% ±10.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.8% ±6.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
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 Old Fort earn?
Half of Old Fort's 292 households earn less than $47,500 a year (±$5,632), against $57,168 in McDowell County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $34,613 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $12,887 after inflation.
| Measure | Old Fort | McDowell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,500 ±$5,632 | $57,168 | +$12,887 |
| Mean household income | $56,227 ±$8,600 | $72,753 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,050 ±$4,846 | $30,395 | +$6,794 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.7% ±9.2 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.1% ±20.1 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.7% ±7.5 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.2% ±5.7 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.3% ±8.0 pts | 83.6% | – |
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 Old Fort?
Owners occupy 48.3% of Old Fort's occupied homes and renters 51.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $135,900 by its owner (±$32,954). The median renter pays $818 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Old Fort | McDowell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $135,900 ±$32,954 | $171,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $818 ±$102 | $806 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 24.4% ±17.6 pts | 32.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,114 ±$144 | $1,161 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 48.3% ±13.1 pts | 75.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 51.7% ±13.1 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Housing units | 385 ±91 | 21,575 | −163 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±23.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.9% ±3.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 55.6% ±12.2 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 25.5% ±9.2 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±10.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.2% ±5.5 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 17.9% ±10.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.8% ±5.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
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 Old Fort work and get to work?
76.3% of Old Fort's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.8 minutes.
| Measure | Old Fort | McDowell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.8% ±10.7 pts | 54.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% ±4.4 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.3% ±10.4 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.4% ±8.2 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±13.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 6.7% ±5.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.7% ±6.4 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.8 min ±3.6 | 24.7 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 Old Fort?
No census tract lies mostly in Old Fort; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9707McDowell County | 3,872 | $59,773 |
| Tract 9708McDowell County | 4,709 | $67,525 |
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 Old Fort) · Census block assignment files
How does Old Fort compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Old Fort is the 11,259th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 366th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Old Fort 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 | 366th | 549 |
Old Fort's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Old Fort 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 Old Fort?
25 of the 57 figures for Old Fort 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 Old Fort 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 Old Fort.