Census tract · Burke County
Census Tract 209.02, Burke County, North Carolina
Census Tract 209.02, GEOID 37023020902, in Burke County, North Carolina, mostly within Valdese (60% of its census blocks). 3,532 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±513); the 2020 Census counted 3,421.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,532
±513 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,421
Median household income
$52,211
±$26,877 (90% margin)
Burke County: $58,592
Median home value
$164,400
±$37,521 (90% margin)
Burke County: $185,400
Median gross rent
$690
±$332 (90% margin)
Burke County: $884
Where is Census Tract 209.02?
Census Tract 209.02 is one of 21 census tracts in Burke County, North Carolina. It covers 4.43 square miles of land, 772 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 37023020902, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Valdese | 60% |
| Rutherford College | 8% |
| Connelly Springs | 8% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 209.02: Tract 208.01 ($62,639), Tract 208.02 ($70,769), Tract 209.01 ($62,917), Tract 210 ($52,342), Tract 212.01 ($69,766) and Tract 212.02 ($62,917). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 209.02?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 209.02's population at 3,532 (±513) in 1,795 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,421 residents and 1,676 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 209.02 | Valdese |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,532 ±513 | 4,704 |
| Households | 1,795 ±299 | 2,378 |
| Average household size | 1.97 ±0.19 | 1.93 |
| Housing units | 1,983 ±288 | 2,427 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 209.02?
The median resident of Census Tract 209.02 is 46.4 years old; 19.9% are under 18 and 22.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.5%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 6.5%. 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 209.02 | Valdese |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.4 ±7.1 | 52.6 |
| Under 18 years | 19.9% ±5.5 pts | 18.0% |
| 65 years and over | 22.6% ±6.0 pts | 25.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.6% ±4.5 pts | 5.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.5% ±6.9 pts | 86.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±2.9 pts | 3.3% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±5.4 pts | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 2.2% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 8.0% ±5.1 pts | 5.7% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.6% ±6.1 pts | 5.5% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.5% ±1.8 pts | 7.9% |
| With a disability | 14.2% ±4.6 pts | 15.6% |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.8% ±2.1 pts | 3.1% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.5% ±2.9 pts | 94.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.3% ±8.2 pts | 37.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.3% ±5.1 pts | 14.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.0% ±3.9 pts | 94.2% |
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 Census Tract 209.02 earn?
Half of the 1,795 households in Census Tract 209.02 earn less than $52,211 a year (±$26,877), against $58,592 across Burke County: 19th highest of the county's 21 tracts with a reliable estimate. 16.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 209.02 | Valdese |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,211 ±$26,877 | $50,740 |
| Mean household income | $72,651 ±$18,187 | $83,486 |
| Per capita income | $36,877 ±$9,852 | $41,651 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.1% ±7.1 pts | 12.8% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 29.1% ±22.0 pts | 31.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.5% ±7.0 pts | 15.8% |
| Households with a computer | 90.6% ±5.3 pts | 89.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.8% ±5.9 pts | 86.9% |
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 Census Tract 209.02?
Owners occupy 72.9% of Census Tract 209.02's occupied homes and renters 27.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,400 by its owner (±$37,521). The median renter pays $690 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 209.02 | Valdese |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $164,400 ±$37,521 | $209,800 |
| Median gross rent | $690 ±$332 | $665 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.9% ±20.9 pts | 21.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,386 ±$209 | $1,357 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.9% ±9.0 pts | 72.9% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.1% ±9.0 pts | 27.1% |
| Housing units | 1,983 ±288 | 2,427 |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.1% ±7.9 pts | 73.4% |
| Mobile homes | 15.7% ±5.2 pts | 3.9% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 3.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.1% ±2.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.5% ±5.5 pts | 14.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.0% ±6.5 pts | 5.4% |
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 Census Tract 209.02 get to work?
89.0% of Census Tract 209.02's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.8%.
| Measure | Tract 209.02 | Valdese |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.9% ±8.0 pts | 57.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.8% ±4.9 pts | 5.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 89.0% ±7.8 pts | 87.7% |
| Carpooled | 1.6% ±2.0 pts | 1.4% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% |
| Walked | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 7.7% ±6.8 pts | 10.9% |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.5 min ±3.3 | 26.5 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
How does Census Tract 209.02 compare with the other tracts in Burke County?
Among Burke County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 209.02 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Burke County |
|---|---|
| Population | 14th of 21 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd of 21 |
| Median household income | 19th of 21 |
| Per capita income | 7th of 21 |
| Median home value | 14th of 21 |
| Median gross rent | 19th of 20 |
| Poverty rate | 10th of 17 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5th of 21 |
| Median age | 10th of 21 |
| Owner-occupied share | 16th of 21 |
The tracts next to it on Burke County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 203.01 | 16th | $55,020±$6,637 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 203.04 | 17th | $54,695±$18,831 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 210 | 18th | $52,342±$5,396 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 209.02 | 19th | $52,211±$26,877 |
| Tract 214 | 20th | $49,107±$10,574 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 206 | 21st | $48,636±$11,171 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 209.02?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 209.02 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections