Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US counties.

Safety31#2,134/3,096
Economy26#2,334/3,143
Housing66#1,068/3,140
Health37#1,995/3,144
Healthcare43#1,787/3,143
Environment73#843/3,108
Education19#2,553/3,144
Infrastructure36#2,018/3,144
Community61#1,218/3,144
Leisure & amenities28#2,272/3,143

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where McDowell County, North Carolina ranks highest and lowest among US counties (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Severe housing problems · low9.3%
86/100North Carolina 14.2%United States 16.8%2017-2021University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Comfortable days · high30.0%
82/100North Carolina 30.0%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Effective property tax rate · low0.49%
81/100North Carolina 0.66%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Mammography screening · high52.0%
81/100North Carolina 50.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Distance to an airport · low34 mi
80/100North Carolina 30 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau
Hot days · low8 days
80/100North Carolina 32 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information

Weaknesses

Property crime rate · high2,146 /100k
7/100North Carolina 1,780 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of Investigation
Primary care shortage · high17.0
18/100North Carolina 9.9United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services Administration
High school diploma or higher · low85.3%
19/100North Carolina 90.2%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Drug overdose deaths · high31.2 /100k
19/100North Carolina 20.6 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional data
Median household income · low$57,124
22/100North Carolina $74,055United States $81,6042024U.S. Census BureauModel-based estimate
Depression · high27.4%
23/100North Carolina 24.8%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
3% (2021) → 61% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+58 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
New business applicationsImproving
6.3 /1k (2020) → 10.2 /1k (2025)
+60%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Public librariesImproving
0.4 /10k (2019) → 0.7 /10k (2024)
+52%5 yearsUS 0.5 /10k → 0.5 /10k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
73.3% (2015-2019) → 83.6% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
25.7% (Dec 2021) → 33.9% (Aug 2026)
+8.2 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
51.7 /100k (2021) → 31.2 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−40%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, McDowell County, North Carolina improved on 8 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 22 moved within the margin of error and 1 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among counties: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved8

Uninsured−2.8 points14.8% → 12.0%
Real income+37%$41,799 → $57,122
New businesses+60%6.3 /1k → 10.2 /1k
Unemployment−2.9 points7.3% → 4.4%
Broadband+10 points73.3% → 83.6%

Declined1

Students / teacher+1.1×14.1× → 15.2×

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of McDowell County, North Carolina between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.5 /10k2020	2.2 /10k2025	−10%	Within the margin of error	20%
Average commute time	24.2 min2015-2019	24.7 min2020-2024	+0.5 min	Within the margin of error	47%
Average weekly wage	$7632020	$9362025	+23%	Improved	42%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.4%2015-2019	18.1%2020-2024	+0.7 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Broadband subscriptions	73.3%2015-2019	83.6%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	53%
Child poverty rate	19.8%2019	20.9%2024	+1.1 points	Within the margin of error	13%
Distance to an airport	34 mi2020	34 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	24.4 /100k2020	31.2 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+28%	Within the margin of error	10%
Effective property tax rate	0.55%2015-2019	0.49%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	31%
Firearm deaths	18.3 /100k2020	15.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−13%	Within the margin of error	69%
Grocery stores	1.8 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	−14%	Within the margin of error	24%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.7 /10k2020	0.7 /10k2025	−1.4%	Within the margin of error	42%
High school diploma or higher	83.9%2015-2019	85.3%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	40%
Home price to income ratio	2.7×2015-2019	3.0×2020-2024	+0.3×	Within the margin of error	65%
Homicide rate	4.7 /100k2020	4.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−13%	Within the margin of error	34%
Income adjusted for local prices	$41,7992019	$57,1222024	+37%	Improved	76%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4422015-2019	0.4222020-2024	−0.020	Within the margin of error	82%
Median household income	$46,3702019	$57,1242024	+23%	Improved	41%
New business applications	6.3 /1k2020	10.2 /1k2025	+60%	Improved	69%
Pharmacies	1.3 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	−18%	Within the margin of error	27%
Poverty rate	13.6%2019	15.5%2024	+1.9 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Property crime rate	2,454 /100k2020	2,146 /100k2025	−13%	Improved	18%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.7 /10k2024	+52%	Within the margin of error	99%
Rent as share of income	24.3%2015-2019	24.9%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	46%
Rent-burdened households	35.7%2015-2019	39.7%2020-2024	+4.1 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Restaurants and bars	6.1 /10k2020	6.0 /10k2025	−1.4%	Within the margin of error	44%
Students per teacher	14.1×2019	15.2×2024	+1.1×	Declined	8%
Suicide rate	19.2 /100k2020	17.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−7.3%	Within the margin of error	72%
Traffic deaths	14.6 /100k2015-2019	16.5 /100k2020-2024	+13%	Within the margin of error	39%
Unemployment rate	7.3%2020	4.4%2025	−2.9 points	Improved	58%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	14.8%2019	12.0%2024	−2.8 points	Improved	80%
Violent crime rate	178 /100k2020	148 /100k2025	−17%	Within the margin of error	52%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 2303 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Small Area Health Insurance Estimates; Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Common Core of Data; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 3144 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Counties like McDowell County, North Carolina five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of McDowell County, North Carolina in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, McDowell County, North Carolina itself moved −2.3 points in standing on average over the same 32 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

44,817 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 men (−1.6 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

44,817 residents

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

White86%38,364
Black3.8%1,724
Hispanic or Latino7.1%3,170
Asian1.1%506
American Indian and Alaska Native0.3%†138
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races2.0%915

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: White (−1.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

32,913 residents (±213)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

No high school diploma15%4,831
High school or GED35%11,672
Some college19%6,223
Associate degree13%4,229
Bachelor's degree12%4,079
Graduate degree5.7%1,879

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

18,638 households (±439)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $25k19%3,607
$25k–50k23%4,324
$50k–75k21%3,878
$75k–100k14%2,583
$100k–150k14%2,564
$150k–200k5.0%932
$200k or more4.0%750

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−6.8 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

18,638 households (±439)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Own76%14,088
Rent24%4,550

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

3,898 households (±505)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $75039%1,531
$750–1,00033%1,276
$1,000–1,50023%†883

Home values

14,088 homes (±549)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $150k42%5,931
$150k–250k25%3,539
$250k–400k20%2,767

Age of homes

21,575 homes (±70)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

2010 or later8.5%1,831
2000–200915%3,247
1980–199934%7,272

Size of homes

21,575 homes (±70)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Studio1.4%†292
1 bedroom5.8%1,258
2 bedrooms29%6,291

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

19,054 workers (±669)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Drive alone83%15,896
Carpool8.6%1,633
Public transit0.0%†3
Walk1.0%†199
Bike0.1%†11
Work from home6.0%1,144
Other0.9%†168

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+2.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

17,910 workers (±690)

McDowell County, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under 15 min25%4,546
15–29 min40%7,113
30–44 min21%3,798

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Marion, NC

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

McDowell County has 822 employer establishments, 183 for every 10,000 residents (0.74× the US rate of 248; 0.77× North Carolina's), with 13,495 paid employees at an average annual pay of $46,727. The Census Bureau also counts 3,079 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 822; 3,079 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 183; US 248 · North Carolina 237
Paid employees: 13,495
Average annual pay: $46,727; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of McDowell County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	73	16.2	0.88×About typical	1,144	$18,423	29
Specialty trade contractors	68	15.1	0.98×About typical	522	$48,205	350
Ambulatory health care services	65	14.5	0.69×Fewer than typical	531	$60,392	141
Religious organizations	51	11.3	2.05×More than typical	305	$25,030	—
Limited-service restaurants	34	7.6	0.94×About typical	717	$19,153	9
Services to buildings and dwellings	33	7.3	1.09×About typical	122	$36,590	354
Construction of buildings	32	7.1	0.94×About typical	115	$54,417	149
Building equipment contractors	31	6.9	1.15×About typical	206	$48,602	49
Full-service restaurants	30	6.7	0.87×About typical	387	$16,899	13
Lessors of real estate	30	6.7	0.54×Fewer than typical	43	$36,698	260
Gasoline stations	23	5.1	1.58×More than typical	208	$30,721	3
Offices of physicians	23	5.1	0.79×Fewer than typical	165	$96,121	22

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 44,946 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated -$14.6M on contracts performed in McDowell County, North Carolina: -$324 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: -$14.6M; −104% vs FY2025
Per resident: -$324; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Federal Highway Administration$32.1M0.0%
Forest Service$282.3K0.0%

Top recipients

ECLIPSE COMPANIES, LLC$29.8M0.0%
ATKINSREALIS USA INC$1.5M0.0%
CENTRAL SOUTHERN CONSTRUCTION CORP.$1.1M0.0%
OAC ACTION CONSTRUCTION CORP.$469.3K0.0%
JORGE'S FORRESTRY SERVICES LLC$31.3K0.0%

Spending by fiscal year

1.1MFY2017
408.5KFY2018
1.1MFY2019
1.7MFY2020
3MFY2021
8.2MFY2022
2.1MFY2023
1.5MFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Highway, street, and bridge construction · 2373$30.3M0.0%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$1.5M0.0%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$477.5K0.0%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$89.5K0.0%
Support activities for forestry · 1153$52.8K0.0%
Remediation and other waste management services · 5629$22.6K

Largest awards

16 VEGETATIVE NON-URBAN$44.7M
JBW GROUP LLC· McDowell County, NC· Facilities & utilities· Aug 8, 2025 – May 28, 2026· W912PM25F0058
PROJECT NC NP BLRI 2M31; NC NP BLRI 2N24; NC NP BLRI 2M26, 2N22: THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF HURRICANE DAMAGE REPAIRS AT MP 344.3 TO 351.9. THE WORK INCLUDES SLIDE REPAIRS, CULVERT CLEANING, CULVERT INSTALLATION, STONE MASONRY HEADWALL INSTALLATION, D$29.8M
ECLIPSE COMPANIES, LLC· McDowell County, NC· Construction & real property· Dec 17, 2025 – May 15, 2026· 693C7326F00012N
MCDOWELL COUNTY PPDR$28.4M
JBW GROUP LLC· McDowell County, NC· Facilities & utilities· Aug 12, 2025 – Apr 8, 2026· W912PM25C0032
HURRICANE HELENE- MCDOWELL COUNTY PRIVATE PROPERTY DEBRIS REMOVAL (PPDR)

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Explore contracts in McDowell County, North Carolina

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $418.6M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for McDowell County, North Carolina: $9,260 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $418.6M; +19% vs FY2025
Per resident: $9,260; US $12,955
Loan face value: $17.9M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$203.7M49%
20.271 · Emergency Relief (ER) Program$66.4M16%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$40.2M9.6%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$33.2M7.9%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$20.6M4.9%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$16.6M4.0%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$9.8M2.3%
84.184 · School Safely National Activities$5.6M1.3%

Top recipients (organizations)

TRANSPORTATION NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT$88.5M21%
RALEIGH, NC
MC DOWELL COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION$8.4M2.0%
MARION, NC
COUNTY OF MC DOWELL$6M1.4%
MARION, NC
MCDOWELL TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE$2.8M0.7%
MARION, NC
PC SOLUTIONS & INTEGRATION, INC.

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$270.3M65%
Federal Highway Administration$88.5M21%
Department of Transportation
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$38.3M9.2%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education$8.3M2.0%
Natural Resources Conservation Service$5.6M

Assistance by fiscal year

295.2MFY2021
297.1MFY2022
320.3MFY2023
317.7MFY2024
351.4MFY2025
418.6MFY2026

County aggregates

74%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Explore grants in McDowell County, North Carolina

Public money & outcomes

Federal money per resident by fiscal year next to how the place changed, and, when its money jumped, how it compares with similar counties. A comparison, not cause and effect.

How McDowell County, North Carolina compares: the federal money it received per resident, and how jobs, income, housing and other outcomes moved, each next to the United States.

Money per resident

By federal fiscal year (October to September, named by the year it ends), obligations per resident. A year with no record counts as $0.

McDowell County, North Carolina
United States
partial year

Federal contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2017	$23.71	$1,436
FY2018	$8.98	$1,552
FY2019	$23.71	$1,654
FY2020	$37.43	$1,880
FY2021	$67.71	$1,810
FY2022	$184	$1,917
FY2023	$46.91	$2,079
FY2024	$33.52	$2,047
FY2025	$8,569	$2,165
FY2026	-$324 (partial year)	$1,911

Construction contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2017	$11.04	$93.28
FY2018	$2.78	$105
FY2019	$7.07	$128
FY2020	$4.36	$145
FY2021	$5.11	$117
FY2022

Contracts and grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2021	$395	$5,748
FY2022	$352	$5,221
FY2023	$514	$5,364
FY2024	$260	$5,501
FY2025	$8,854	$5,732
FY2026

Transportation grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2021	$129	$298
FY2022	$28.73	$357
FY2023	$322	$301
FY2024	$60.59	$319
FY2025	$136	$360
FY2026

Housing assistanceUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2021	$9.76	$239
FY2022	$18.13	$185
FY2023	$60.09	$229
FY2024	$85.04	$229
FY2025	$82.61	$249
FY2026

HHS grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2021	$51.60	$2,304
FY2022	$45.91	$2,197
FY2023	$55.94	$2,274
FY2024	$53.30	$2,267
FY2025	$56.62	$2,397
FY2026

SBA lending volumeUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
FY2021	$442	$1,186
FY2022	$139	$465
FY2023	-$8.08	$76.52
FY2024	$1.91	$120
FY2025	$281	$148
FY2026	-$6.89

Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)

How outcomes moved

Calendar years. Charts share the same years as the money above. Levels are shown as percent change since 2016; rates are shown as the rate itself.

McDowell County, North Carolina
United States
Years with money loaded

Job growthpercent

Table view

Job growth, McDowell County, North Carolina and the United States, by year
Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	5.6%	2.0%
2015

When its money jumped

A county-year with at least 10,000 residents whose money per resident is at least twice its earlier average counts as a jump. Each is compared with up to five similar counties in the same region whose money did not jump.

No jump in federal money met the criteria in the years loaded, so there is no comparison for this place.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Business Formation Statistics, Building Permits Survey, Cartographic Boundary Files, Gazetteer and metro delineations, Population Estimates Program, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission), Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System), Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordability. JSON · /api/v1/outcomes/places/37111

See all comparisons

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

McDowell County, North Carolina is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Chuck EdwardsR-NC-11 · 100% of residentsWith party 96%Missed 1.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

Metro area

The metro or micro area McDowell County belongs to. A county is in at most one.

Marion, NC36Central county

Cities and towns in McDowell County

Places whose residents live mostly in McDowell County, largest first.

Neighboring counties

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar counties

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
National Risk IndexFederal Emergency Management Agency · release v1.20.0
Health Professional Shortage AreasHealth Resources and Services Administration · release 2026-10-03
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
Common Core of DataNational Center for Education Statistics · release 2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/37111

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	−5.5%	−4.2%
2015	−2.9%	−1.3%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+6.7%	+3.3%
2018	+6.9%	+6.8%
2019	+10.9%	+10.5%
2020	+16.8%	+19.4%
2021	+20.5%	+26.1%
2022	+30.2%	+30.6%
2023	+32.5%	+35.0%
2024	+39.5%	+41.0%
2025	+43.3%	+46.8%

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	−7.6%	−5.5%
2015	−2.9%	−1.9%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+5.9%	+4.1%
2018	+9.0%	+8.9%
2019	+13.7%	+13.5%
2020	+24.5%	+20.8%
2021	+37.6%	+32.1%
2022	+41.5%	+35.4%
2023	+48.4%	+42.9%
2024	+58.2%	+49.5%

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	2.4/1k	3.3/1k
2015	3.2/1k	3.7/1k
2016	1.8/1k	3.7/1k
2017	2.5/1k	3.9/1k
2018	2.7/1k	4.1/1k
2019	2.8/1k	4.2/1k
2020	2.9/1k	4.4/1k
2021	4.4/1k	5.2/1k
2022	4.1/1k	5.0/1k
2023	4.1/1k	4.5/1k
2024	3.9/1k	4.3/1k
2025	3.6/1k	4.2/1k

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	−8.6%	−6.9%
2015	−9.7%	−3.2%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+3.4%	+4.7%
2018	+6.1%	+7.5%
2019	+11.9%	+14.0%
2020	+14.8%	+16.9%
2021	+21.8%	+21.0%
2022	+30.4%	+29.7%
2023	+29.6%	+34.9%
2024	+37.8%	+41.6%

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	17.6%	15.5%
2015	18.8%	14.7%
2016	18.4%	14.0%
2017	16.2%	13.4%
2018	15.4%	13.1%
2019	13.6%	12.3%
2020	15.2%	11.9%
2021	14.5%	12.8%
2022	16.1%	12.6%
2023	15.1%	12.5%
2024	15.5%	12.1%

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	6.2%	6.2%
2015	5.4%	5.3%
2016	5.0%	4.9%
2017	4.3%	4.4%
2018	3.6%	3.9%
2019	4.0%	3.7%
2020	7.3%	8.1%
2021	4.8%	5.4%
2022	3.6%	3.7%
2023	3.4%	3.6%
2024	4.1%	4.0%
2025	4.4%	4.3%

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	—	−10.8% (Dec 2014)
2015	—	−5.2% (Dec 2015)
2016	0.0% (Dec 2016)	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	+5.1% (Dec 2017)	+6.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	+12.3% (Dec 2018)	+12.6% (Dec 2018)
2019	+24.0% (Dec 2019)	+18.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	+36.4% (Dec 2020)	+29.3% (Dec 2020)
2021	+58.1% (Dec 2021)	+49.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	+70.7% (Dec 2022)	+64.7% (Dec 2022)
2023	+79.1% (Dec 2023)	+69.0% (Dec 2023)
2024	+81.4% (Dec 2024)	+73.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	+76.9% (Dec 2025)	+73.7% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	15.5%	13.5%
2015	12.6%	10.9%
2016	13.7%	10.0%
2017	12.9%	10.2%
2018	13.8%	10.4%
2019	14.8%	10.8%
2020	13.2%	10.4%
2021	14.5%	10.2%
2022	13.6%	9.5%
2023	12.4%	9.5%
2024	12.0%	9.8%

Calendar years	McDowell County, North Carolina	United States
2014	3.6/1k	8.5/1k
2015	3.8/1k	8.7/1k
2016	4.7/1k	9.1/1k
2017	4.1/1k	9.8/1k
2018	4.9/1k	10.7/1k
2019	4.6/1k	10.6/1k
2020	6.3/1k	13.1/1k
2021	7.4/1k	16.2/1k
2022	7.0/1k	15.1/1k
2023	9.0/1k	16.2/1k
2024	8.9/1k	15.4/1k
2025	10.2/1k	16.6/1k

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved8

Declined1

Counties like McDowell County, North Carolina five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Public money & outcomes

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Representation in Congress

House

Senate

Metro area

Cities and towns in McDowell County

Neighboring counties

Similar counties

Data and sources

Improved8

Declined1

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Household income

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

House

Senate

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought