Lake Lure, Rutherford County, North Carolina Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Lake Lure, North Carolina, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Lake Lure, North Carolina. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Lake Lure, North Carolina. The estimated population of Lake Lure, North Carolina is 1,500 people, with a median age of 61.9.

We can look at the total population in Lake Lure over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
1,500
-8.2% +5.78%
2020
1,634
+9.08%
-
2019
1,498
-3.79% -
2018
1,557
+9.8%
-
2017
1,418
- -

Population of Lake Lure, North Carolina by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
95.2%
94.9%
+0.32%
Black/African American
0.5%
0.8%
-37.50%
Native
0%
0.4%
-100.00%
Hispanic
0.3%
0.1%
+200.00%
Asian
0.5%
2.3%
-78.26%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.4%
0.3%
+33.33%
Two Or More Races
3.1%
1.2%
+158.33%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Lake Lure, North Carolina by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 61.9 -1.28% 61.2 +0.16% 62.3 -1.74%
2020 62.7 +2.96% 61.1 +2.69% 63.4 +1.93%
2019 60.9 +0.66% 59.5 -0.5% 62.2 +0.81%
2018 60.5 -4.12% 59.8 -5.08% 61.7 -2.22%
2017 63.1 - 63 - 63.1 -

The median age of Lake Lure, North Carolina gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 24 +104.5% 22 +54.88% 38 31
10 to 19 22 +108.93% 52 -100.18% 41 10
20 to 29 50 -1.57% 13 +90.21% 41 23
30 to 39 45 -30.11% 61 -17.56% 29 50
40 to 49 73 3.82% 49 1.56% 73 47
50 to 59 94 -20.72% 133 +16.62% 75 150
60 to 69 195 +6.54% 197 +57.23% 208 298
70+ 190 -3.12% 198 +6.4% 182 204

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Lake Lure, North Carolina is $70,958.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Lake Lure.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $56,667.00
  • 45 to 64
    $78,319.00
  • 65 and over
    $61,974.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Lake Lure, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Lake Lure, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Lake Lure, North Carolina is currently $101,982.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

15.26% of households in Lake Lure are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Lake Lure against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    12.99%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    21.69%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.04%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.12%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    11.35%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.55%
  • $200,000 or more
    15.26%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Lake Lure is $54,197.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Lake Lure by the total population of Lake Lure.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Lake Lure, North Carolina, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Lake Lure to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    22.36%
  • Bachelor's degree
    49.89%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    5.51%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    19.38%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.86%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Lake Lure that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Lake Lure over the age of 16 is 1,391.

Of those people, a total of 39.00% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Lake Lure is 36.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 11 45.50% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 21 100.00% 42.90%
25 to 29 years 43 81.40% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 35 57.10% 10.00%
35 to 44 years 122 71.30% 12.60%
45 to 54 years 118 44.10% 17.30%
55 to 59 years 149 68.50% 6.90%
60 to 64 years 283 44.90% 1.60%
65 to 74 years 398 22.40% 0.00%
75 years and over 211 2.40% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Lake Lure. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 1,333 38.30% 7.80%
Black or African American 8 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 7 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 6 83.30% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 37 73.00% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 5 40.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1,333 38.30% 7.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Lake Lure as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Lake Lure is 503, with median earnings of $50,469.00.

Women in Lake Lure, North Carolina earning approximately 75.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 503 $50,469.00
Male 279 $57,946.00
Female 224 $43,906.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 170 $64,167.00
Business and Financial 23 $73,750.00
Computer and Mathematical 5 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 9 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00
Legal 12 $78,929.00
Educational and Library 25 $36,563.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 5 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 23 $78,365.00
Healthcare Support 10 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 20 $6,563.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 6 $38,125.00
Personal Care and Service 11 $50,208.00
Sales 82 $78,611.00
Office and Administrative Support 53 $26,250.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 9 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2 $0.00
Production 6 $48,750.00
Transportation and Material Moving 17 $22,917.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 89 $64,236.00 81 $58,750.00
Business and Financial 3 $0.00 20 $73,000.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00 5 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 9 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Legal 7 $0.00 5 $0.00
Educational and Library 10 $58,750.00 15 $35,938.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 5 $0.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 16 $0.00 7 $0.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 10 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 5 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 15 $5,781.00 5 $0.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 4 $0.00 2 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 9 $0.00 2 $0.00
Sales 57 $49,250.00 25 $79,583.00
Office and Administrative Support 8 $0.00 45 $21,250.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 9 $0.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2 $0.00 0 $0.00
Production 4 $0.00 2 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 17 $22,917.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 793 households in Lake Lure, with an average household size of 1.89 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 491 families in Lake Lure with an average family size of 2.32 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 445 11 35 302
Average Household Size 2.27 4.45 3.23 1.09
Total Families 445 11 35 0
Average Household Size 2.27 3.18 2.74 0

Poverty

Of the 491 families in Lake Lure, 4.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Lake Lure:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 2,159 housing units in Lake Lure, North Carolina.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 793 36.73%
Vacant 1,366 63.27%

3.75% of the total 2,159 housing units in Lake Lure are rental units. This is approximately 81 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 686 are occupied by the owner - or 31.77% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Lake Lure is $931.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Lake Lure that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    26
  • Less than $500
    7
  • $500 to $999
    39
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    23
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    5
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    7

Property Value

The median value of a property in Lake Lure is $378,400.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Lake Lure that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    1
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    11
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    29
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    47
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    95
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    251
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    134
  • $1,000,000 or more
    118

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Lake Lure. The chart below shows the number of properties in Lake Lure that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    63
  • 1940 to 1949
    65
  • 1950 to 1959
    157
  • 1960 to 1969
    81
  • 1970 to 1979
    420
  • 1980 to 1989
    407
  • 1990 to 1999
    326
  • 2000 to 2009
    496
  • 2010 to 2013
    144
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Lake Lure that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    22
  • 1 vehicle available
    332
  • 2 vehicles available
    336
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    103

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Lake Lure get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Lake Lure that commute to work in a particular way.

32.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Lake Lure.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    31
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    28
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    42
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    25
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    26
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    42
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    54
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    21
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    11
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    28
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    34
  • 90 or more minutes
    15

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Lake Lure, North Carolina in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.