Rutherford County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rutherford County
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Rutherford County Courthouse in Rutherfordton
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| Motto(s):
Small Town Friendly
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Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
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 North Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  North Carolina |
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| Founded | 1779 | |
| Named for | Griffith Rutherford | |
| Seat | Rutherfordton | |
| Largest town | Forest City | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 566 sq mi (1,470 km2) | |
| • Land | 564 sq mi (1,460 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.7 sq mi (4 km2) 0.3%% | |
| Population | ||
| • Estimate
(2021)
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64,586 | |
| • Density | 114.5/sq mi (44.2/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional districts | 10th, 11th | |
Rutherford County is a county in the southwestern area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,444. Its county seat is Rutherfordton.
Rutherford County comprises the Forest City, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
The county was formed in 1779 from the western part of the former Tryon County. It was named for Griffith Rutherford, leader of an expedition against the Cherokee in 1776 and a general in the American Revolutionary War.
In 1791 parts of Rutherford County and Burke County were combined to form Buncombe County. n 1841 parts of Rutherford and Lincoln counties were combined to form Cleveland County. In 1842 additional parts of Rutherford and Burke counties were combined to form McDowell County. Finally, in 1855 parts of Rutherford and Henderson counties were combined to form Polk County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 566 square miles (1,470 km2), of which 564 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.3%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- McDowell County - north
- Burke County - northeast
- Cleveland County - east
- Cherokee County, South Carolina - south
- Spartanburg County, South Carolina - south
- Polk County - southwest
- Henderson County - west
- Buncombe County - northwest
Major highways
US 64
US 74
US 74A
US 221
US 221A
NC 9
NC 108
NC 120
NC 226
Demography
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 7,808 | — | |
| 1800 | 10,753 | 37.7% | |
| 1810 | 13,202 | 22.8% | |
| 1820 | 15,351 | 16.3% | |
| 1830 | 17,557 | 14.4% | |
| 1840 | 19,202 | 9.4% | |
| 1850 | 13,550 | −29.4% | |
| 1860 | 11,573 | −14.6% | |
| 1870 | 13,121 | 13.4% | |
| 1880 | 15,198 | 15.8% | |
| 1890 | 18,770 | 23.5% | |
| 1900 | 25,101 | 33.7% | |
| 1910 | 28,385 | 13.1% | |
| 1920 | 31,426 | 10.7% | |
| 1930 | 40,452 | 28.7% | |
| 1940 | 45,577 | 12.7% | |
| 1950 | 46,356 | 1.7% | |
| 1960 | 45,091 | −2.7% | |
| 1970 | 47,337 | 5.0% | |
| 1980 | 53,787 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 56,918 | 5.8% | |
| 2000 | 62,899 | 10.5% | |
| 2010 | 67,810 | 7.8% | |
| 2020 | 64,444 | −5.0% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 64,586 | −4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 52,026 | 80.73% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 5,836 | 9.06% |
| Native American | 152 | 0.24% |
| Asian | 343 | 0.53% |
| Pacific Islander | 23 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,778 | 4.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,286 | 5.1% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 64,444 people, 27,970 households, and 18,874 families residing in the county.
Communities
Towns
- Bostic
- Ellenboro
- Forest City
- Lake Lure
- Ruth
- Rutherfordton (county seat)
- Spindale
Village
Census-designated places
Cities and towns
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 72.2% 21,870 | 24.8% 7,516 |
| 2012 | 66.0% 18,954 | 32.7% 9,374 |
| 2008 | 65.4% 18,769 | 33.6% 9,641 |
| 2004 | 66.3% 16,343 | 33.2% 8,184 |
| 2000 | 63.3% 13,755 | 35.4% 7,697 |
| 1996 | 52.7% 9,792 | 38.6% 7,162 |
| 1992 | 48.0% 9,748 | 38.6% 7,855 |
| 1988 | 59.7% 10,337 | 40.0% 6,926 |
| 1984 | 62.2% 11,369 | 37.6% 6,862 |
| 1980 | 49.3% 8,363 | 49.0% 8,315 |
| 1976 | 39.2% 6,718 | 60.5% 10,361 |
| 1972 | 68.8% 9,506 | 30.0% 4,140 |
| 1968 | 46.1% 7,785 | 27.4% 4,622 |
| 1964 | 42.7% 7,115 | 57.3% 9,541 |
| 1960 | 51.3% 8,993 | 48.7% 8,554 |
- Alexander Mills (merged with Forest City)
- Corinth
- Harris
- Union Mills
Townships
- Camp Creek
- Cliffside
- Chimney Rock
- Colfax, Cool Spring
- Duncans Creek
- Gilkey
- Golden Valley
- Green Hill
- High Shoals
- Mt. Vernon
- Rutherfordton
- Union Mills
Economy
In 2010, Rutherford County was selected as the location for a new $450 million data center for Facebook.
Horsehead Corporation announced the construction of its new, state-of-the-art zinc and diversified metals production facility in Rutherford County, NC, near the municipality of Forest City.
Camp Bud Scheile A Boy Scout camp run by the Piedmont Council BSA is located North of Forest City. It can accommodate as many as 1800 campers every summer.
Notable people
- Smoky Burgess, record-setting major league baseball player
- Bryan Coker, 12th President of Maryville College
- Walter Dalton, former lieutenant governor of North Carolina (in office 2009–2013)
- Tim Earley, American poet
- Pleasant Daniel Gold (1833–1920), American publisher and clergyman
- Kay Hooper, best-selling author
- Robert McNair, Owner Houston Texans
- Burl Noggle, American historian born in Rutherford County in 1924
- Richard O'Sullivan, screenwriter and filmmaker
