Caldwell County, North Carolina

Caldwell County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As of the 2020 census, the population was 80,652.^[1] Its county seat is Lenoir.^[2] Caldwell County is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Caldwell County
County
Caldwell County Courthouse in Lenoir
Flag Seal Logo
Nickname:  The Gateway To The Blue Ridge
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35.97°N 81.51°W / 35.97; -81.51
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1841
Named after	Joseph Caldwell
Seat	Lenoir
Largest community	Lenoir
Area
• Total	474.61 sq mi (1,229.2 km2)
• Land	471.89 sq mi (1,222.2 km2)
• Water	2.72 sq mi (7.0 km2)  0.57%
Population  (2020)
• Total	80,652
• Estimate  (2024)	80,739
• Density	170.91/sq mi (65.99/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	5th
Website	www.caldwellcountync.org

History

The county was formed in 1841 from parts of Burke County and Wilkes County. It was named for Joseph Caldwell, presiding professor and the first president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A series of reductions to the county's territory have taken place since its initial formation. In 1847, parts of Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County were combined to form Alexander County. In 1849, parts of Caldwell County, Ashe County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County were combined to form Watauga County. In 1861, parts of Caldwell County, Burke County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County were combined to form Mitchell County. Finally, in 1911 parts of Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County were combined to form Avery County.

Geography

Interactive map of Caldwell County

The rocky outcropping of Blowing Rock in the town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 474.61 square miles (1,229.2 km²), of which 471.89 square miles (1,222.2 km²) is land and 2.72 square miles (7.0 km²) (0.57%) is water.^[3]

Caldwell County is divided into three distinct geographic sections: the Blue Ridge Mountains, which dominate the northern and western parts of the county; the gently rolling Piedmont country in the middle and southern parts of the county; and the Brushy Mountains, an isolated remnant of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The "Brushies", as they are often called, run across much of Caldwell County's eastern section. Hibriten Mountain, located within the city limits of Lenoir, the county's largest city, marks the western end of the Brushy Mountain range. In the western part of the county is the Wilson Creek area.

National protected areas

• Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
• Pisgah National Forest (part)

State and local protected areas

• Backbone Ridge State Forest
• Buffalo Cove Game Land (part)^[4]
• Grandfather Mountain State Park (part)
• Pisgah National Forest Game Land (part)^[4]
• Pisgah (WRC) Game Land (part)^[4]
• Tuttle Educational State Forest

Major water bodies

• Beaver Creek
• Blue Creek
• Catawba River
• Gunpowder Creek
• Husband Creek
• Johns River
• Lake Hickory
• Little Gunpowder Creek
• Little King Creek
• Lower Creek
• Mill Creek
• Mulberry Creek
• Rhodhiss Lake
• Rock Creek
• Silver Creek
• Upper Little River
• Wilson Creek
• Yadkin River

Adjacent counties

• Watauga County – north
• Wilkes County – northeast
• Alexander County – east
• Catawba County – southeast
• Burke County – south
• Avery County – west

Major highways

• US 64
• US 221
• US 321, busiest highway in the county with an annual average daily traffic count of 39,000 in 2014.^[5]
• US 321A
• NC 18
• NC 90
• NC 268

Major infrastructure

• Caldwell County has one railroad, the Caldwell County Railroad which interchanges with the Norfolk Southern Railway in Hickory^[6]
• Foothills Regional Airport (partially in Burke County)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	6,317		—
1860	7,497		18.7%
1870	8,476		13.1%
1880	10,291		21.4%
1890	12,298		19.5%
1900	15,694		27.6%
1910	20,579		31.1%
1920	19,984		−2.9%
1930	28,016		40.2%
1940	35,795		27.8%
1950	43,352		21.1%
1960	49,552		14.3%
1970	56,699		14.4%
1980	67,746		19.5%
1990	70,709		4.4%
2000	77,415		9.5%
2010	83,029		7.3%
2020	80,652		−2.9%
2024 (est.)	80,739	[7]	0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010[12] 2020[1]

2020 census

Caldwell County racial composition^[13]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	67,868	84.15%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	3,843	4.76%
Native American	196	0.24%
Asian	527	0.65%
Pacific Islander	15	0.02%
Other/Mixed	3,280	4.07%
Hispanic or Latino	4,923	6.1%

As of the 2020 census, there were 80,652 people, 32,513 households, and 20,975 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census,^[14] there were 83,029 people, 33,388 households, and 23,456 families residing in the county. The population density was 176.1 people per square mile (68.0 people/km²). There were 37,659 housing units at an average density of 79.9 units per square mile (30.8 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.24% White, 4.92% Black or African American, 0.52% Asian, 0.31% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.47% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. The Hispanic or Latino (of any race) population was 4.57%.

There were 33,388 households, of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.16% were married couples living together, 12.52% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.75% were non-families. 25.39% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 41.16% of those households had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.91.

Of the county's entire population, 22.63% was under the age of 18, 18.33% were 18 to 34, 22.44% were 35 to 49, 21.17% were 50 to 64, and 15.44% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females there were 96.84 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.06 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,853, and the median income for a family was $47,028. Males had a median income of $36,429 versus $31,221 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,397. About 15.3% of families and 20.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.8% of single mothers and 13.2% of people age 65 or over.

Government and politics

County government offices in Lenoir

The county is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners.^[15] The members of the Board of Commissioners are Jeff Branch, Randy Church, Mike LaBrose, Donnie Potter, and Robbie Wilkie.^[15] The Clerk to the Board is Abby Rich.^[15] The County Manager is Donald E. Duncan Jr. and Deputy County Manager is Jimmy Harrison.^[16] The Caldwell County Sheriff is Alan C. Jones.^[17] The Clerk of Superior Court is Angela Ashley Kidd.^[18] The county's Register of Deeds is Wayne Rash.^[19] Caldwell County is a member of the regional Western Piedmont Council of Governments.^[20]

In the North Carolina General Assembly, the county is represented by Republican Warren Daniel in the North Carolina Senate, as part of North Carolina Senate district 46, and by Republican Destin Hall in the North Carolina House of Representatives, as North Carolina House district 87.^[21][22]

Caldwell County is part of North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives and is represented by Republican Virginia Foxx. The county was moved from North Carolina's 11th congressional district in 2021 due to court ordered redistricting in North Carolina. North Carolina's congressional districts for 2023 and beyond have not yet been approved.^{[23][24][25][26]}

Caldwell County's partisan lean is very Republican. Of the county's elected legislative representatives at the county, state, and national level, all are Republicans. Since 2010, the average federal election vote in Caldwell County goes over 70% Republican.^{[27][28][29][30][31]}

United States presidential election results for Caldwell County, North Carolina^[32]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	33,009	75.81%	10,146	23.30%	385	0.88%
2020	32,119	74.99%	10,245	23.92%	465	1.09%
2016	26,621	73.30%	8,425	23.20%	1,274	3.51%
2012	23,229	66.88%	10,898	31.38%	605	1.74%
2008	22,526	64.08%	12,081	34.36%	548	1.56%
2004	21,186	67.58%	9,999	31.90%	163	0.52%
2000	17,337	66.39%	8,588	32.89%	190	0.73%
1996	12,653	55.18%	8,050	35.11%	2,228	9.72%
1992	12,543	49.04%	9,033	35.32%	4,000	15.64%
1988	15,176	65.78%	7,862	34.08%	33	0.14%
1984	17,024	69.79%	7,311	29.97%	59	0.24%
1980	12,965	58.11%	8,738	39.17%	607	2.72%
1976	9,872	45.15%	11,894	54.39%	100	0.46%
1972	12,976	71.41%	4,886	26.89%	309	1.70%
1968	10,433	51.46%	4,746	23.41%	5,095	25.13%
1964	8,733	44.60%	10,846	55.40%	0	0.00%
1960	11,553	56.98%	8,722	43.02%	0	0.00%
1956	10,833	61.22%	6,861	38.78%	0	0.00%
1952	9,160	54.87%	7,533	45.13%	0	0.00%
1948	4,987	46.24%	5,033	46.67%	765	7.09%
1944	4,365	44.61%	5,419	55.39%	0	0.00%
1940	3,005	32.18%	6,334	67.82%	0	0.00%
1936	3,421	33.44%	6,809	66.56%	0	0.00%
1932	3,750	40.43%	5,479	59.07%	46	0.50%
1928	4,207	64.74%	2,291	35.26%	0	0.00%
1924	2,503	42.59%	3,348	56.97%	26	0.44%
1920	3,298	52.95%	2,931	47.05%	0	0.00%
1916	1,659	49.02%	1,725	50.98%	0	0.00%
1912	482	14.66%	1,627	49.50%	1,178	35.84%

Education

Elementary schools

• Baton
• Davenport
• Dudley Shoals
• Gamewell
• Granite Falls
• Hudson
• Lower Creek
• Sawmills
• Valmead
• West Lenoir
• Whitnel

K-8 schools

• Collettsville
• Happy Valley
• Kings Creek
• Oak Hill Charter School

Middle schools

• Gamewell
• Granite Falls
• Hudson
• William Lenoir

High schools

• Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
• Caldwell Early College
• Hibriten
• South Caldwell
• West Caldwell

Alternative schools

• Gateway School
• Horizons Elementary

Private schools

• Harris Chapel Christian Academy
• Heritage Christian School
• New Beginning Christian Academy

Online school

• Caldwell Online Academy

Independent school

• Moravian Prep

College

• Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute^[33]
• Appalachian State University Center at Caldwell (a distance education site for Appalachian State University)^[34]

Communities

Map of Caldwell County with municipal and township labels

City

• Lenoir (county seat and largest community)

Towns

• Blowing Rock
• Cajah's Mountain
• Gamewell
• Granite Falls
• Hudson
• Rhodhiss
• Sawmills

Village

• Cedar Rock

Census-designated place

• Northlakes

Other unincorporated communities

• Abingdon
• Baton
• Collettsville
• Dudley Shoals
• Patterson
• Globe
• Grace Chapel
• Grandin
• Happy Valley
• Kings Creek
• Legerwood
• Mortimer
• Mulberry
• Warrior
• Yadkin Valley

Townships

Townships in Caldwell County include:^[35]

• Globe
• Hudson
• Johns River
• Kings Creek
• Lenoir
• Little River
• Lovelady
• Lower Creek
• Mullberry
• North Catawba
• Patterson
• Wilson Creek
• Yadkin Valley

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Caldwell County, North Carolina