Farm Census

Henderson County, North Carolina

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

520 farms32,743 acres in farms$103 million in farm sales

No other county in North Carolina with a published figure has more orchard land or apples than Henderson County.

Its largest product group with a published figure, nursery and greenhouse crops, makes up 36.3% of farm sales, against 3.2% across North Carolina.

Nursery and greenhouse: 36.3%Nursery and greenhouse36.3%Fruit and nuts: 30.0%Fruit and nuts30.0%Vegetables and melons: 27.8%Vegetables and melons27.8%Grains and oilseeds: 2.7%2.7%Withheld groups: 2.1%2.1%Cattle and calves: 0.8%0.8%Poultry and eggs: 0.2%Hogs and pigs: under 0.1%Horses and mules: under 0.1%Sheep and goats: under 0.1%Nursery and greenhouse: 36.3%36.3%Fruit and nuts: 30.0%Fruit and nuts30.0%Vegetables and melons: 27.8%Vegetables and melons27.8%Grains and oilseeds: 2.7%2.7%Withheld groups: 2.1%2.1%Cattle and calves: 0.8%Poultry and eggs: 0.2%Hogs and pigs: under 0.1%Horses and mules: under 0.1%Sheep and goats: under 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: hay and other crops, Christmas trees, milk, aquaculture products and other animal products.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$37.6 million1st of 73
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$31.0 million2nd of 76
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$28.8 million6th of 78
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$2.8 million72nd of 91
Cattle and calves$857,00057th of 83
Poultry and eggs$191,00060th of 78
Hogs and pigs$22,00045th of 61
Horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys$19,00048th of 53
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$8,00065th of 68

What the fields held

Henderson County harvested 15,616 acres of cropland in 2022, 73rd of 97 counties in North Carolina. Orchard land covered acreage equal to 35% of that, hay and haylage 23%.

CropAcresShare of US
Orchard land5,4710.09%
of which grapes227under 0.1%
of which apples5,1031.2%
Hay and haylage3,632under 0.1%
Vegetables1,630under 0.1%
of which potatoes16under 0.1%
Corn for grain1,608under 0.1%
Soybeans673under 0.1%
Berries2170.06%

Withheld to protect individual farms: wheat, corn for silage, barley and pecans.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms13.7%

Henderson County ranks 79th of 97 counties in North Carolina on this measure.

  • 19,572 acres of cropland, 60% of farmland
  • 5,786 acres of pastureland, 18% of farmland
  • 6,704 acres of woodland, 20% of farmland
  • 2,415 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Henderson County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 22 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 63 acres, 86th-largest of 88 in North Carolina. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 43.5% of farms. Fewer than 1% of farms have 1,000 acres or more.

1–926%10–4943%50–17925%180–4994%500–9991%1,000–1,9991%2,000+0%
Henderson County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Horses and ponies372under 0.1%
Goats229under 0.1%
Sheep and lambs394under 0.1%
Cattle and calves2,362under 0.1%
Laying hens3,664under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs78under 0.1%
Turkeys29under 0.1%

Withheld: beef cows, milk cows and broilers sold.

Who farms here

Decisions on Henderson County's 520 farms are made by 972 producers. Their average age is 57.3, 0.8 years below the North Carolina average. Women are 33.8% of them.

Under 358%35–4413%45–5415%55–6430%65–7420%75+13%
Henderson County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms455+14.3%
Land in farms, acres41,099−20.3%
Average farm size, acres90−30.0%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$67.2 million+53.8%
Apples, acres4,302+18.6%
Orchard land, acres4,439+23.2%
Berries, acres62+100%
Vegetables, acres1,782−8.5%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Henderson County accounts for 0.6% of farm sales in North Carolina and 1.2% of the farms in North Carolina. Rank North Carolina counties for apples.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.