How many people live in Macon County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 38,700 people living in Macon County, NC. That makes Macon County the 64th-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 0.35% of people living in the state.
38.7K
population of Macon County, NC (2024)
0.35%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 38,700 people lived in Macon County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Macon County, NC’s age demographics?
About 11,400 Macon County, NC residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 29.5% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 7,000 Macon County residents, or 18% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Macon County, NC's population is aged 65 or older than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Macon County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 85% of the Macon County, NC population, higher than the national share of 57.5%.
In contrast, Macon County’s non-Hispanic Black or African American population accounts for 1.4%, below the 12.6% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 10.6% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Macon County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic white population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Macon County, NC is Franklin with about 4,400 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Macon County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Franklin | 4,362 |
| 2. | Highlands (pt.) | 1,110 |
| 3. | Balance of Macon County | 33,245 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
