McDowell County, North Carolina Population

Current Population

45,198

Estimated July 1, 2025

+644 residents(+1.4%)since 2020

Latest Official Census

44,578

2020 Census

Population Over Time

Estimated population changed from 44,554 in 2020 to 45,198 in 2025.

Annual population estimates by year.
Year	Population	Change	% change
2020	44,554	—	—
2021	44,541	-13	0%
2022	44,745	+204	+0.5%
2023	44,946	+201	+0.4%
2024	45,298	+352	+0.8%
2025	45,198	-100	-0.2%

2020 Census (official count): 44,578

Sources & Methodology

The current population figure is an annual estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program. The 2020 Census is shown separately as the official benchmark.

Current estimate — 45,198 · July 1, 2025

U.S. Census Bureau — County Resident Population Estimates (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA), Vintage 2025

Official Census — 44,578 · April 1, 2020

U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171), table P1 — county totals (SUMLEV 050)

These figures can differ because the Census and annual population estimates are produced at different times using different methods. Both are shown so you can distinguish the most current estimate from the official Census benchmark.

How the change since 2020 is calculated

Both endpoints come from the same Census Bureau Population Estimates Program release, so the comparison is like for like: 44,554 on July 1, 2020 and 45,198 on July 1, 2025. The change is the later estimate minus the earlier one (+644), and the percentage is that change divided by the 2020 estimate (+1.4%). The Decennial Census count is never used as an endpoint here — it is an enumeration on a different reference date, produced by a different method, so subtracting one from the other would measure the difference between two methods as well as the change in population.

U.S. Census Bureau — County Resident Population Estimates (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA), Vintage 2025

Incorporated places in McDowell County

2 incorporated places

FIPS code: 37111
Classification: county