Rutherford County, NC ZIP Codes
North Carolina (NC) · 12 ZIP codes · 12 cities
12
ZIP codes
64,586
population (2021)
-4.8%
pop change since 2010
37161
FIPS code
Rutherford County ZIP code map
About Rutherford County
Rutherford County is located in North Carolina and contains 12 ZIP codes across 12 cities and communities.
The county's population was 64,586 as of 2021,
a decrease of
4.8% from 67,810 in 2010.
The timezone is Central Time (observes DST).
The Federal Information Processing System (FIPS) code for Rutherford County is 37161.
| Population | |
|---|---|
| 2021 population | 64,586 |
| 2010 population | 67,810 |
| Change | -4.8% |
| County details | |
|---|---|
| State | North Carolina |
| FIPS code | 37161 |
| Timezone | Central |
| Daylight saving | Yes |
Cities in Rutherford County
Bostic
Caroleen
Chimney Rock
Cliffside
Ellenboro
Forest City
Harris
Henrietta
Lake Lure
Rutherfordton
Spindale
Union Mills
ZIP codes for Rutherford County, NC (12)
| ZIP code | City | County | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28018 | Bostic | Rutherford | View map |
| 28019 | Caroleen | Rutherford | View map |
| 28024 | Cliffside | Rutherford | View map |
| 28040 | Ellenboro | Rutherford | View map |
| 28043 | Forest City | Rutherford | View map |
| 28074 | Harris | Rutherford | View map |
| 28076 | Henrietta | Rutherford | View map |
| 28139 | Rutherfordton | Rutherford | View map |
| 28160 | Spindale | Rutherford | View map |
| 28167 | Union Mills | Rutherford | View map |
| 28720 | Chimney Rock | Rutherford | View map |
| 28746 | Lake Lure | Rutherford | View map |
Demographics & statistics
68,112
Population
45.4
Median age
$51,151
Median household income
$28,945
Per capita income
$179,250
Median home value
$752
Median monthly rent
76.5%
Home ownership
14.7%
Poverty rate
5.5%
Unemployment
27,042
Housing units
22.1%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
1,751
Under 5
1,753
1,998
5–9
2,000
1,864
10–14
1,867
2,134
15–19
2,136
1,717
20–24
1,720
3,755
25–34
3,760
3,781
35–44
3,785
4,479
45–54
4,485
2,426
55–59
2,430
2,784
60–64
2,787
4,367
65–74
4,372
2,406
75–84
2,410
572
85+
573
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 13,905 | 17.7% |
| 18 and over | 54,207 | 82.3% |
| 65 and over | 14,700 | 24.0% |
| Median age | 45.4 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
80.6%
Black or African American
8%
Two or more races
4.2%
Hispanic or Latino
3.9%
Other race
2.6%
Asian
0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 57,128 | 80.6% |
| Black or African American | 5,679 | 8% |
| Two or more races | 2,952 | 4.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,755 | 3.9% |
| Other race | 1,875 | 2.6% |
| Asian | 351 | 0.5% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 121 | 0.2% |
Household income
Under $10k
5.0%
$10k–$15k
5.1%
$15k–$25k
10.9%
$25k–$35k
11.9%
$35k–$50k
14.5%
$50k–$75k
20.7%
$75k–$100k
11.6%
$100k–$150k
11.5%
$150k–$200k
4.6%
$200k+
4.1%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 5.0% |
| $10k–$15k | 5.1% |
| $15k–$25k | 10.9% |
| $25k–$35k | 11.9% |
| $35k–$50k | 14.5% |
| $50k–$75k | 20.7% |
| $75k–$100k | 11.6% |
| $100k–$150k | 11.5% |
| $150k–$200k | 4.6% |
| $200k+ | 4.1% |
| Median income | $51,151 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
10.4%
$50k–$100k
19.9%
$100k–$150k
16.8%
$150k–$200k
16.1%
$200k–$300k
16.9%
$300k–$500k
11.1%
$500k–$1M
5.6%
$1M+
3.2%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,250 |
| Median rent / month | $752 |
| Owner occupied | 76.5% |
| Renter occupied | 23.5% |
| Vacant | 23.1% |
| Single-family detached | 73.6% |
| Large apartment buildings | 1.0% |
| Mobile homes | 18.3% |
| Median rooms | 5.6 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.36 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.4% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.8% |
| 2000–2009 | 15.5% |
| 1990–1999 | 17.4% |
| 1980–1989 | 12.8% |
| 1970–1979 | 13.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 10.3% |
| 1950–1959 | 10.0% |
| 1940–1949 | 7.6% |
| 1939 or earlier | 6.9% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.8% |
| 1 bedroom | 5.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | 29.5% |
| 3 bedrooms | 49.5% |
| 4 bedrooms | 11.4% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 3.1% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 5.5% |
| 1 vehicle | 29.2% |
| 2 vehicles | 34.8% |
| 3 or more | 30.6% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 6.3% |
| Electricity | 74.7% |
| Propane / LP gas | 10.4% |
| Fuel oil | 4.3% |
| Wood | 3.3% |
| No fuel used | 0.7% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 12,900 | 50.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 1,582 | 4.7% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 5,285 | 18.7% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 7,927 | 26.4% |
| Households with children under 18 | 7,346 | 22.9% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 10,634 | 40.1% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 27.0% | 20.5% |
| Married | 52.6% | 51.5% |
| Separated | 4.2% | 2.5% |
| Widowed | 5.1% | 11.3% |
| Divorced | 11.2% | 14.3% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
3.9%
Some HS, no diploma
9.0%
HS graduate
31.1%
Some college, no degree
22.9%
Associate's degree
11.1%
Bachelor's degree
14.0%
Graduate / professional
8.1%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 87.2% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.1% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 664 | 4.3% |
| Kindergarten | 933 | 6.8% |
| Elementary school | 6,128 | 43.0% |
| High school | 3,155 | 24.2% |
| College / grad school | 3,132 | 21.6% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
21.4%
Manufacturing
17.7%
Retail trade
11.5%
Professional & management
10.6%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.1%
Other services
7.3%
Construction
7.0%
Transportation & utilities
6.2%
Finance & real estate
3.5%
Public administration
2.8%
Agriculture & mining
1.6%
Wholesale trade
1.2%
Information
1.2%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 32.2% |
| Service | 19.3% |
| Sales & office | 18.0% |
| Natural resources & construction | 10.0% |
| Production & transportation | 20.6% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 78.8% |
| Government | 11.9% |
| Self-employed | 9.1% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.2% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.8% |
| Carpool | 9.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.3% |
| Other means | 1.8% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 26.6 |
Poverty
All people
14.7%
Under 18 years
20.9%
18 and over
13.6%
Married-couple families
5.9%
Female-led households
34.6%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 45.7% |
| Retirement income | 28.0% |
| Supplemental Security | 5.5% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.2% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 15.7% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| High blood pressure | 38.1% |
| High cholesterol | 36.7% |
| Heart disease | 8.2% |
| Stroke | 4.0% |
| Asthma | 9.7% |
| Arthritis | 29.9% |
| Kidney disease | 3.6% |
| Pulmonary disease | 9.0% |
| Cancer | 7.5% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Binge drinking | 14.4% |
| No physical activity | 25.6% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 33.5% |
| Fair or poor health | 16.7% |
| Poor mental health | 14.8% |
| Poor physical health | 12.6% |
| No health insurance | 18.2% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 78.9% |
| Visited dentist | 59.1% |
| Cholesterol screening | 89.8% |
| Teeth loss | 17.2% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 4,322 | 8.8% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 21.4% |
| Under 18 | 3.1% |
| 18–64 years | 19.0% |
| 65 and over | 41.5% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 61.3% |
| Public insurance | 45.5% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 3.2% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 64,608 | 96.0% |
| Spanish | 1,199 | 1.4% |
| Other Indo-European | 1,009 | 1.1% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 85 | 0.2% |
| Other languages | 104 | 0.1% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 65,995 | 97.6% |
| Born in same state | 65,485 | 96.8% |
| Born in different state | 45,774 | 65.2% |
| Foreign born | 510 | 0.8% |
| Naturalized citizen | 2,117 | 2.4% |
| Not a US citizen | 1,100 | 63.9% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Arab | 11,205 | 16.5% |
| French | 7,849 | 11.5% |
| Italian | 6,311 | 9.3% |
| English | 410 | 0.6% |
| German | 141 | 0.2% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 140 | 0.2% |
| Dutch | 125 | 0.2% |
| Irish | 71 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 12 | 0% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 42.4% |
| Internet access | 89.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Explore more North Carolina ZIP codes