Census tract · Rutherford County
Census Tract 9609, Rutherford County, North Carolina
Census Tract 9609, GEOID 37161960900, in Rutherford County, North Carolina, partly within Forest City and Spindale. 4,919 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±804); the 2020 Census counted 5,056.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,919
±804 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,056
Median household income
$40,648
±$9,104 (90% margin)
Rutherford County: $51,410
Median home value
$181,000
±$37,018 (90% margin)
Rutherford County: $201,800
Median gross rent
$781
±$27 (90% margin)
Rutherford County: $783
Where is Census Tract 9609?
Census Tract 9609 is one of 22 census tracts in Rutherford County, North Carolina. It covers 14.05 square miles of land, 360 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 37161960900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Forest City | 30% |
| Spindale | 3% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 9609: Tract 9604 ($77,422), Tract 9605.03 ($40,968), Tract 9606 ($41,896), Tract 9608 ($31,755), Tract 9611.02 ($60,799), Tract 9611.03 ($51,875), Tract 9611.04 ($39,922) and Tract 9612 ($49,676). 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 9609?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9609's population at 4,919 (±804) in 2,174 households; the 2020 Census counted 5,056 residents and 2,379 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,919 ±804 | 64,930 |
| Households | 2,174 ±285 | 26,642 |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.27 | 2.39 |
| Housing units | 2,417 ±279 | 32,775 |
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 9609?
The median resident of Census Tract 9609 is 40.2 years old; 22.7% are under 18 and 15.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 73.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 16.1%.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 ±7.2 | 45.3 |
| Under 18 years | 22.7% ±4.0 pts | 20.1% |
| 65 years and over | 15.1% ±3.9 pts | 22.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.7% ±2.8 pts | 5.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 73.0% ±8.8 pts | 80.8% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.1% ±8.6 pts | 7.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.3% ±6.0 pts | 4.4% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.7% |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.4 pts | 3.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1% ±1.6 pts | 4.6% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±3.1 pts | 7.4% |
| With a disability | 23.5% ±6.9 pts | 21.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.3% ±5.0 pts | 12.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.9% ±5.0 pts | 87.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.9% ±8.6 pts | 21.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.5% ±5.0 pts | 8.2% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.8% ±5.3 pts | 89.1% |
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 9609 earn?
Half of the 2,174 households in Census Tract 9609 earn less than $40,648 a year (±$9,104), against $51,410 across Rutherford County: 20th highest of the county's 22 tracts with a reliable estimate. 19.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,648 ±$9,104 | $51,410 |
| Mean household income | $59,340 ±$8,397 | $72,230 |
| Per capita income | $27,528 ±$3,240 | $30,460 |
| People below the poverty line | 19.7% ±8.3 pts | 16.8% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.0% ±14.1 pts | 20.2% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 31.6% ±9.6 pts | 19.5% |
| Households with a computer | 90.9% ±4.7 pts | 89.9% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.9% ±6.6 pts | 82.9% |
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 9609?
Owners occupy 60.9% of Census Tract 9609's occupied homes and renters 39.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $181,000 by its owner (±$37,018). The median renter pays $781 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $181,000 ±$37,018 | $201,800 |
| Median gross rent | $781 ±$27 | $783 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.6% ±18.9 pts | 38.2% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,150 ±$98 | $1,226 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.9% ±9.2 pts | 73.9% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 39.1% ±9.2 pts | 26.1% |
| Housing units | 2,417 ±279 | 32,775 |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.1% ±9.8 pts | 72.3% |
| Mobile homes | 22.8% ±10.1 pts | 17.5% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.4% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 6.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.2% ±2.8 pts | 7.6% |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.7% ±5.2 pts | 5.1% |
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 9609 get to work?
66.9% of Census Tract 9609's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 25.3 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.5% ±6.4 pts | 54.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% ±3.7 pts | 6.3% |
| Drove alone to work | 66.9% ±11.3 pts | 79.7% |
| Carpooled | 19.8% ±11.2 pts | 8.9% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.1% |
| Walked | 5.0% ±6.0 pts | 1.4% |
| Worked from home | 8.3% ±6.4 pts | 8.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.3 min ±3.3 | 26.1 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 9609 compare with the other tracts in Rutherford County?
Among Rutherford County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9609 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Rutherford County |
|---|---|
| Population | 2nd of 22 |
| Residents per square mile | 5th of 22 |
| Median household income | 20th of 22 |
| Per capita income | 14th of 22 |
| Median home value | 14th of 22 |
| Median gross rent | 7th of 18 |
| Poverty rate | 7th of 18 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12th of 21 |
| Median age | 18th of 22 |
| Owner-occupied share | 19th of 22 |
The tracts next to it on Rutherford County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602.01 | 17th | $45,556±$22,693 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9606 | 18th | $41,896±$5,762 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9605.03 | 19th | $40,968±$7,407 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9609 | 20th | $40,648±$9,104 |
| Tract 9611.04 | 21st | $39,922±$18,681 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9608 | 22nd | $31,755±$7,623 · 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 9609?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9609 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