Town · North Carolina
Valdese, North Carolina
Valdese, town, in Burke County, North Carolina. Valdese had 4,712 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,689 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,704 (±26). GEOID 3769520.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,712
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,689 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,704 ±26
Median household income
$50,740
±$6,175 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$209,800
±$39,675 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$665
±$301 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Valdese and what county is it in?
Valdese is a town in Burke County, North Carolina. It covers 7.9 square miles of land, 597 residents per square mile in 2020.
Valdese 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 Valdese, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,712 people lived in Valdese on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 4,689 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,704 (±26).
| Measure | Valdese | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,704 ±26 | 87,795 | +294 |
| Households | 2,378 ±209 | 36,306 | +833 |
| Average household size | 1.93 ±0.17 | 2.34 | −0.84 |
| Housing units | 2,427 ±222 | 40,358 | +509 |
Valdese's population since 2000
From 4,485 in 2000 to 4,712 in 2025: up 5.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Valdese 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 Valdese?
The median resident of Valdese is 52.6 years old; 18.0% are under 18 and 25.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.2%.
| Measure | Valdese | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.6 ±5.5 | 44.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.0% ±4.8 pts | 18.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.7% ±4.7 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Male | 44.3% ±4.5 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.2% ±4.3 pts | 8.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.2% ±5.4 pts | 79.1% | −7.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±2.6 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±2.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.7% ±4.0 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.5% ±4.0 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±3.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 15.6% ±4.3 pts | 18.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.1% ±1.9 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.5% ±2.6 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 37.2% ±6.8 pts | 21.0% | +15.6 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.4% ±4.7 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.2% ±2.9 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5% ±1.4 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 Valdese earn?
Half of Valdese's 2,378 households earn less than $50,740 a year (±$6,175), against $58,592 in Burke County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $71,811 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $21,071 after inflation. 12.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Valdese | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,740 ±$6,175 | $58,592 | −$21,071 |
| Mean household income | $83,486 ±$16,756 | $77,743 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,651 ±$9,045 | $32,977 | +$10,783 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.8% ±6.1 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 31.1% ±20.5 pts | 26.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.8% ±6.3 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.7% ±5.8 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.9% ±6.7 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 Valdese?
Owners occupy 72.9% of Valdese's occupied homes and renters 27.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $209,800 by its owner (±$39,675). The median renter pays $665 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Valdese | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $209,800 ±$39,675 | $185,400 | +$63,717 |
| Median gross rent | $665 ±$301 | $884 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.9% ±15.8 pts | 30.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,357 ±$275 | $1,220 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.9% ±7.8 pts | 74.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.1% ±7.8 pts | 25.5% | – |
| Housing units | 2,427 ±222 | 40,358 | +509 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.4% ±7.1 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.9% ±3.3 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.0% ±2.9 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.9% ±5.4 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±4.9 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 Valdese work and get to work?
87.7% of Valdese's workers drive alone and 10.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.8%.
| Measure | Valdese | Burke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.8% ±6.5 pts | 57.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±3.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 87.7% ±5.7 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.4% ±1.6 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.9% ±5.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.5 min ±3.3 | 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 Valdese?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Valdese, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $52,211 (Tract 209.02) to $62,917 (Tract 209.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 209.02Burke County | 3,532 | $52,211 |
| Tract 209.01Burke County | 3,387 | $62,917 |
| Tract 208.01Burke County | 5,772 | $62,639 |
| Tract 212.01Burke County | 3,856 | $69,766 |
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 Valdese) · Census block assignment files
How does Valdese compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Valdese is the 5,065th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 160th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Valdese ranks 317th 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 | 160th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 274th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 327th | 443 |
| Median household income | 317th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 127th | 443 |
| Median home value | 273rd | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 366th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 206th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 139th | 421 |
| Median age | 54th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 179th | 443 |
| Work from home | 186th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 142nd | 439 |
Valdese's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Valdese 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 Valdese?
20 of the 57 figures for Valdese 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 Valdese 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 Valdese.