HomeNorth CarolinaBurke County
Burke County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Burke County, North Carolina has a population of 87,795 across 507 square miles, up 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $3.72 bn in 2024, 1,540 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 49 7(a) approvals worth $40.3 m.
125 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Burke County
How many people live in Burke County
- Population87,795
- Households36,306
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$58,592
- Median age44.9
- Median gross rent$884 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$185,400
- Home value to household income3.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over64,993
- Population under 1816,168
- Share under 1818.4 percent
- Population 65 and over19,031
- Share 65 and over21.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6452,596
- Civilian labor force42,542
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.4 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties33rd of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents678th
Burke County is the 33rd largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.2 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.7 percent against 18.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Burke County
Is Burke County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.13 percent
- Census 2020 base population87,556
- Births, 2024854
- Deaths, 20241,241
- Natural change, 2024-387
- Net domestic migration, 2024638
- Net international migration, 2024139
- Total net migration, 2024777
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,650
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1434th
The county has grown 1.13 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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.
Burke County
Where people moving to Burke County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,134
- People arriving, from those returns3,961
- Adjusted gross income arriving$122.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$57,591
- Largest single originBurke County Non-migrants (31,443 households)
- Largest single destination (31,443 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County Non-migrants | 31,443 | 62,633 | $1.92 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 664 | 1,242 | $49.0 m |
| Catawba County | 382 | 722 | $16.3 m |
| Other flows - South | 364 | 684 | $26.2 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 297 | 513 | $18.9 m |
| Caldwell County | 242 | 473 | $10.9 m |
| McDowell County | 143 | 287 | $7.4 m |
| Other flows - West | 120 | 231 | $8.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Burke County Non-migrants, 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.
Burke County
What the Burke County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$3.72 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.50 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.5 percent
- GDP change over five years36.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among North Carolina counties37th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents859th
- GDP per resident$42,421
Output grew 6.5 percent in the latest year and 36.7 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.
Burke County
Who employs people in Burke County
- Covered employment, annual average29,553
- Establishments reporting1,725
- Average annual pay$48,986
- Average weekly wage$942
- Sector 31-33, employment7,515
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$53,751
- Sector 62, employment4,591
- Sector 62, average annual pay$64,669
- Sector 44-45, employment3,006
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$31,700
- Sector 72, employment2,899
- Sector 72, average annual pay$20,003
- Sector 56, employment1,355
- Sector 23, employment810
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 7,515 | 109 | $53,751 |
| Sector 62 | 4,591 | 225 | $64,669 |
| Sector 44-45 | 3,006 | 249 | $31,700 |
| Sector 72 | 2,899 | 156 | $20,003 |
| Sector 56 | 1,355 | 108 | $35,463 |
| Sector 23 | 810 | 178 | $54,539 |
| Sector 42 | 567 | 70 | $64,106 |
| Sector 81 | 504 | 122 | $39,259 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 7,515 jobs, 25.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Burke County
What businesses operate in Burke County
- Establishments, all industries1,540
- Employment at those establishments24,509
- Annual payroll$1.10 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Burke County
What is being built in Burke County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024422
- Declared construction value permitted$88.4 m
- Single family units authorised322
- Multifamily units authorised100
- Multifamily share of units23.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$209,428
- Units authorised per 1,000 households11.6
Multifamily is 23.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Burke County
How much SBA lending happens in Burke County
- 7(a) approvals recorded49
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$40.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$823,069
- Median 7(a) approval$436,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,435,000
- Largest single approval$4,764,600
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)456
- Jobs per approval9.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active26
- Distinct industries receiving approvals37
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms13
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter34
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals10.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (4)
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (5)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$726,000
- Average 504 approval$242,000
- Median 504 approval$285,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval3.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.4
- Most active CDCRegion E Development Corporation (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals94.2 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$41.1 m
The average approval of $823,069 sits well above the median of $436,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 26.5 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.
Burke County
Do SBA loans in Burke County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure35
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 4 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Burke County
Which parts of Burke County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending5
- MORGANTON, approvals34
- Valdese, approvals6
- HILDEBRAN, approvals4
- CONNELLY SPRINGS, approvals4
- Moganton, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| MORGANTON | 34 | $33,096,900 |
| Valdese | 6 | $3,006,100 |
| HILDEBRAN | 4 | $1,116,500 |
| CONNELLY SPRINGS | 4 | $2,960,900 |
| Moganton | 1 | $150,000 |
MORGANTON accounts for 34 approvals against 6 in Valdese. 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.
Burke County
How big is Burke County
- Land area507 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties41st of 100
- Width, east to west35 mi
- Height, north to south30.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land173
- Establishments per square mile3.04
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.
Burke County
What hazards affect Burke County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP11
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Burke 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 Burke County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population87,795
- Households36,306
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$58,592
- Median age44.9
Common questions
Burke County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Burke County, North Carolina?
87,795, in 36,306 households, ranking 33rd of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Burke County growing?
The population has grown 1.13 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 854 births against 1,241 deaths, with net migration of 777. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Burke County?
$58,592. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $185,400, which is 3.2 times income, and median gross rent is $884 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Burke County?
1,540 establishments, employing 24,509 people with an annual payroll of $1.10 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Burke County?
Average annual pay is $48,986, or $942 a week, across 29,553 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Burke County?
49 7(a) approvals totalling $40.3 m since FY2020, across 26 lenders, with a median approval of $436,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $726,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Burke County?
422 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $88.4 m. Multifamily was 23.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Burke 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 Burke County come from?
The largest single origin is Burke County Non-migrants, with 31,443 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,591 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Burke 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 Burke County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.