The Town Files

Rutherford County, North Carolina

64,930 people. The median home is worth $201,800 (typical North Carolina town: $228,900) and the median household earns $51,410.

Towns in Rutherford County

Towns in Rutherford County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Forest City7,377$160,800$35,52435.1
Spindale4,225$167,400$41,26244.9
Rutherfordton3,640$288,400$59,37538.9

People and housing

Rutherford CountyTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$201,800$228,900
Median rent$783$969
Median household income$51,410$60,458
Median age45.341.1
Bachelor's degree or higher21.5%24.5%
Below the poverty line16.8%14.3%

Jobs and pay

17,994 jobs in 2024, average pay $48,125 a year.

Largest industries in Rutherford CountyRetail2,680 jobs · $31,264Manufacturing2,560 jobs · $62,182Health care & social assistan…2,126 jobs · $48,671Hotels & restaurants1,900 jobs · $23,259Construction1,362 jobs · $71,962Administrative & support882 jobs · $42,560
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Rutherford County0%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023 4.6%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 601 storm events in Rutherford County from 1996 to 2026, with 8 deaths.

Storm events in Rutherford County by type since 1996Hail119Flood8Drought36Tornado8High Wind20Lightning15Heavy Snow23Flash Flood26Winter Storm19Winter Weather61
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Rutherford County has been included in 22 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
September 28, 2024Tropical StormDR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-3586: Hurricane Ian
August 2, 2020HurricaneEM-3534: Hurricane Isaias
May 8, 2020Severe StormDR-4543: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).