
Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Burke County, North Carolina
Traffic The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network. | vehicles per day4,774 |
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Trucks The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles. | 10.4% |
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Average travel time The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network. | 32.7 min |
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Congestion ratio The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network. | 14.9% |
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Drivers’ average age Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated. | 50.3 yrs |
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Drivers’ average income Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated. | $61,219 |
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A typical monitored road in Burke County, North Carolina sees 4,774 vehicles per day, while its 348 miles of monitored roads together handle 2,243,467 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈819 million per year). At 10.4%, the truck share runs above the 8.7% across North Carolina: about 1 in 10 vehicles.
Traffic 25% below the North Carolina average
Burke sees 25% lower average daily traffic volume than the state average (4,774 vehicles per day against 6,332), suggesting less demand on each road - a factor worth weighing in site selection and logistics planning. In total volume terms, its road network carries about 0.8% of North Carolina's statewide total of vehicle-miles. Burke carries more traffic than 58% of counties in North Carolina.
Journey times here (32.7 minutes on average) closely track the state level. Its average travel time of 32.7 minutes is longer than 59% of counties in North Carolina.
The congestion ratio of 14.9% is 20% lower, pointing to smoother traffic flow than the state level - relevant for traffic control and delivery planning.
Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

Highway Traffic in Burke County, North Carolina
| Traffic | vehicles per day18,087 |
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| Trucks | 14.6% |
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| Average travel time | 44.9 min |
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| Congestion ratio | 44.2% |
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| Drivers’ average age | 49.6 yrs |
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| Drivers’ average income | $63,076 |
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Travel in Burke County, North Carolina splits roughly evenly, with about half of it (51% of vehicle-miles) on highways. The average highway carries 18,087 vehicles per day, 300% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 4,524 vehicles per day.
Yet highways are only 16% of the road network, 57 miles in 129 segments, so each mile of them is 3.1 times as busy as the average road mile.
That is more highway travel volume than 60% of counties in North Carolina.
More highway trucks than 88% of counties in North Carolina
Highway truck concentration here runs 20% higher than the state average, at 14.6%. Highways here lean toward freight, so highway access is a real asset for logistics operators.
By truck concentration, highways here outrank 78% of counties in North Carolina. By raw truck volume, Burke carries more highway trucks than 88% of counties in North Carolina.

Non-highway Traffic in Burke County, North Carolina
| Traffic | vehicles per day4,524 |
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| Trucks | 6.0% |
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| Average travel time | 32.4 min |
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| Congestion ratio | 14.4% |
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| Drivers’ average age | 50.7 yrs |
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| Drivers’ average income | $59,912 |
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Travel in Burke County, North Carolina splits roughly evenly, with about half of it (49% of vehicle-miles) on local roads. A typical local road sees 4,524 vehicles per day.
Spread over 291 miles and 6,873 segments, 84% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 1,106,112 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈404 million per year). Trucks make up 6.0% of non-highway traffic, about 1 in 17 vehicles.
Local roads carry 58% fewer trucks by share than highways
Non-highway roads carry a truck concentration that's 58% lower than the highway network.
The non-highway congestion ratio of 14.4% is 19% lower than the state level, suggesting more efficient local mobility than the state average.
Burke's average driver income is lower than 61% of counties in North Carolina. 60% of counties in North Carolina have a younger driver population than Burke.