Census tract · Rowan County
Census Tract 520, Rowan County, North Carolina
Census Tract 520, GEOID 37159052000, in Rowan County, North Carolina, mostly within Salisbury (98% of its census blocks). 2,969 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±630); the 2020 Census counted 2,582.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,969
±630 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,582
Median household income
$42,266
±$9,035 (90% margin)
Rowan County: $65,725
Median home value
$220,000
±$67,570 (90% margin)
Rowan County: $238,400
Median gross rent
$1,337
±$280 (90% margin)
Rowan County: $1,013
Where is Census Tract 520?
Census Tract 520 is one of 31 census tracts in Rowan County, North Carolina. It covers 1.03 square miles of land, 2,517 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 37159052000, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Salisbury | 98% |
| East Spencer | 1% |
| Spencer | 1% |
7 census tracts border Census Tract 520: Tract 502.01 ($58,108), Tract 502.02 ($53,423), Tract 503 ($58,938), Tract 504 ($45,516), Tract 505 ($87,083), Tract 507 ($65,131) and Tract 508 ($50,451). 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 520?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 520's population at 2,969 (±630) in 1,093 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,582 residents and 1,147 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 520 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,969 ±630 | 35,825 |
| Households | 1,093 ±190 | 14,043 |
| Average household size | 2.42 ±0.37 | 2.30 |
| Housing units | 1,209 ±186 | 15,637 |
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 520?
The median resident of Census Tract 520 is 36.2 years old; 24.4% are under 18 and 12.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 42.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 37.4%. 13.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 520 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 ±5.8 | 36.5 |
| Under 18 years | 24.4% ±10.6 pts | 21.9% |
| 65 years and over | 12.6% ±5.5 pts | 17.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.1% ±12.6 pts | 11.5% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 42.0% ±9.5 pts | 49.1% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 37.4% ±12.0 pts | 35.0% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 3.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 13.5% ±8.3 pts | 6.4% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.8% ±9.1 pts | 11.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.3% ±4.0 pts | 6.6% |
| With a disability | 19.9% ±9.8 pts | 16.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 18.3% ±9.5 pts | 7.7% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.8% ±8.1 pts | 87.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.7% ±9.4 pts | 29.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.9% ±3.7 pts | 12.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.7% ±10.4 pts | 86.4% |
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 Census Tract 520 earn?
Half of the 1,093 households in Census Tract 520 earn less than $42,266 a year (±$9,035), against $65,725 across Rowan County: 31st highest of the county's 31 tracts with a reliable estimate. 39.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 520 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,266 ±$9,035 | $53,716 |
| Mean household income | $65,893 ±$15,497 | $78,180 |
| Per capita income | $25,979 ±$6,809 | $32,043 |
| People below the poverty line | 39.9% ±15.9 pts | 26.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 53.9% ±32.1 pts | 42.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 31.8% ±12.9 pts | 23.6% |
| Households with a computer | 95.6% ±3.1 pts | 93.9% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.4% ±10.5 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 520?
Owners occupy 40.6% of Census Tract 520's occupied homes and renters 59.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $220,000 by its owner (±$67,570). The median renter pays $1,337 a month including utilities, and 69.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 520 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $220,000 ±$67,570 | $242,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,337 ±$280 | $1,071 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 69.6% ±14.1 pts | 44.6% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,653 ±$126 | $1,500 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 40.6% ±11.7 pts | 51.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 59.4% ±11.7 pts | 48.2% |
| Housing units | 1,209 ±186 | 15,637 |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.5% ±11.9 pts | 62.2% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 2.8% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 1.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.4% ±6.2 pts | 9.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 44.4% ±9.2 pts | 14.1% |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.7% ±7.6 pts | 13.4% |
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 520 get to work?
67.6% of Census Tract 520's workers drive alone and 18.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.0 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 520 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.4% ±9.9 pts | 55.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.0% ±6.6 pts | 5.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 67.6% ±9.3 pts | 72.2% |
| Carpooled | 5.6% ±6.3 pts | 11.7% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 1.9% |
| Walked | 7.5% ±5.9 pts | 1.8% |
| Worked from home | 18.8% ±9.2 pts | 8.7% |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.0 min ±6.0 | 21.8 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 520 compare with the other tracts in Rowan County?
Among Rowan County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 520 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Rowan County | In Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26th of 31 | 11th of 13 |
| Residents per square mile | 2nd of 31 | 2nd of 13 |
| Median household income | 31st of 31 | 13th of 13 |
| Per capita income | 30th of 31 | 12th of 13 |
| Median home value | 24th of 31 | 12th of 13 |
| Median gross rent | 3rd of 29 | 3rd of 12 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd of 28 | 2nd of 11 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15th of 30 | 10th of 13 |
| Median age | 25th of 31 | 10th of 13 |
| Owner-occupied share | 30th of 31 | 12th of 13 |
The tracts next to it on Rowan County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 513.03 | 28th | $50,570±$10,248 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 508 | 29th | $50,451±$7,132 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 504 | 30th | $45,516±$26,633 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 520 | 31st | $42,266±$9,035 |
"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 520?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 520 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is 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