HomeNorth CarolinaCatawba County
Catawba County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Catawba County, North Carolina had an estimated 167,054 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 160,609, across 399 square miles. County output reached $12.40 bn in 2024, 4,349 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 123 7(a) approvals worth $96.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Catawba County
How many people live in Catawba County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024163,573
- Households66,227
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$67,864
- Median age42.1
- Median gross rent$965 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$241,600
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over114,373
- Population under 1835,394
- Share under 1821.6 percent
- Population 65 and over30,611
- Share 65 and over18.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6497,568
- Civilian labor force80,216
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.6 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties18th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included421st of 3,222
Catawba County is the 18th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.6 percent against 18.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Catawba County
Is Catawba County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024167,054
- Census 2020 base population160,609
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.01 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,099
- Births, 20241,686
- Deaths, 20242,030
- Natural change, 2024-344
- Net domestic migration, 20241,974
- Net international migration, 2024469
- Total net migration, 20242,443
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,765
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents685th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.01 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Catawba County
Where are people moving to Catawba County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,857
- People arriving, from those returns8,662
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,029
- Net household movement828
- Adjusted gross income arriving$336.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$53.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$69,189
- Average income of a leaving household$70,253
- Largest single originLincoln County (448 households)
- Largest single destinationCaldwell County (383 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 448 | 853 | $29.3 m |
| Burke County | 407 | 718 | $17.4 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 388 | 647 | $48.3 m |
| Iredell County | 363 | 658 | $25.1 m |
| Caldwell County | 353 | 630 | $15.9 m |
| Alexander County | 214 | 374 | $9.0 m |
| Gaston County | 148 | 251 | $7.2 m |
| Wake County | 63 | 103 | $3.9 m |
Households arriving report $1,064 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Lincoln County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Catawba County
What is the Catawba County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$12.40 bn
- County GDP, 2023$11.92 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years34.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes15th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes376th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$75,828
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 34.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Catawba County
Employment by industry in Catawba County
- Covered employment, annual average89,388
- Establishments reporting5,206
- Average annual pay$55,761
- Average weekly wage$1,072
- Manufacturing, employment23,353
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$61,362
- Retail trade, employment10,146
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,482
- Health care and social assistance, employment9,092
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$60,432
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,626
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,494
- Transportation and warehousing, employment5,208
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment4,774
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23,353 | 412 | $61,362 |
| Retail trade | 10,146 | 718 | $36,482 |
| Health care and social assistance | 9,092 | 511 | $60,432 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,626 | 406 | $21,494 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5,208 | 200 | $55,847 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,774 | 321 | $39,767 |
| Construction | 3,473 | 472 | $71,659 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2,580 | 514 | $81,171 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 23,353 jobs, 26.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Catawba County
How many businesses are in Catawba County?
- Establishments, all industries4,349
- Employment at those establishments85,704
- Annual payroll$4.53 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Catawba County
Building permits in Catawba County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,016
- Declared construction value permitted$410.9 m
- Single family units authorized1,651
- Multifamily units authorized365
- Multifamily share of units18.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$203,810
- Units authorized per 1,000 households30.4
Single-family homes are 81.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Catawba County
SBA loans in Catawba County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded123
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$96.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$786,459
- Median 7(a) approval$354,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,890,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,361
- Jobs per approval11.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active47
- Distinct industries receiving approvals72
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms28
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter88
- Franchise loans16
- Franchise share of approvals13.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Dentists (5)
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (25)
- 504 approvals recorded25
- 504 gross approval dollars$18.0 m
- Average 504 approval$720,280
- Median 504 approval$597,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval9.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.6
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (15)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$114.7 m
The average approval of $786,459 sits well above the median of $354,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 22.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Catawba County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Catawba County
Do SBA loans in Catawba County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded18
- Paid in full17
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure83
- Status: Cancelled17
- Status: Paid in full17
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed5
Only 18 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Catawba County
SBA lending by place in Catawba County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending11
- Hickory, approvals69
- Conover, approvals17
- Newton, approvals12
- Maiden, approvals9
- Denver, approvals4
- Sherrills Ford, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 69 | $61,059,700 |
| Conover | 17 | $12,624,100 |
| Newton | 12 | $7,209,000 |
| Maiden | 9 | $8,479,600 |
| Denver | 4 | $1,650,500 |
| Sherrills Ford | 3 | $1,853,000 |
| Terrell | 2 | $2,167,800 |
| Vale | 2 | $949,800 |
| 3 other borrower cities | 5 | $741,000 |
Hickory accounts for 69 approvals against 17 in Conover. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Catawba County
How large is Catawba County?
- Land area399 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties62nd of 100
- Width, east to west34.2 mi
- Height, north to south19.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land410
- Establishments per square mile10.90
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Catawba County
Flood risk in Catawba County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Catawba County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370050
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Catawba County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Catawba County (community 370050), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Catawba County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Catawba County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Catawba County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024163,573
- Households66,227
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$67,864
- Median age42.1
Common questions
Catawba County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Catawba County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 167,054 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 163,573, in 66,227 households, ranking 18th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Catawba County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.01 percent since the 2020 census base of 160,609, to 167,054 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,686 births against 2,030 deaths, with net migration of 2,443. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Catawba County?
$67,864. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $241,600, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $965 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Catawba County?
4,349 establishments, employing 85,704 people with an annual payroll of $4.53 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Catawba County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 23,353 jobs, 26.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 89,388 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,761, or $1,072 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Catawba County?
123 7(a) approvals totaling $96.7 m since FY2020, across 47 lenders, with a median approval of $354,000, plus 25 504 approvals worth $18.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Catawba County?
2,016 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $410.9 m. Multifamily was 18.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Catawba County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Catawba County come from?
The largest single origin is Lincoln County, with 448 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,189 against $70,253 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Catawba County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Catawba County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Catawba County
Cities and places in Catawba.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Catawba County. All 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | city | 44,258 | 69 | 94.2 percent here, 3.3 percent Burke County, 2.5 percent Caldwell County |
| Newton | city | 13,333 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Norman of Catawba | CDP | 9,906 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Stephens | CDP | 9,457 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Conover | city | 8,580 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Long View | town | 5,011 | None recorded | 85.8 percent here, 14.2 percent Burke County |
| Mountain View | CDP | 3,982 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maiden | town | 3,788 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Claremont | city | 1,922 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Catawba | town | 628 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brookford | town | 390 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 14 of the county's 123 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Catawba County, the largest being Denver (4), Sherrills Ford (3), Terrell (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.