Caldwell County

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

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.

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)

Grandfather Mountain State Park (part)

Pisgah National Forest Game Land (part)

Pisgah (WRC) Game Land (part)

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.

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

Foothills Regional Airport (partially in Burke County)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 80,652 people, 33,166 households, and 20,975 families residing in the county.

The median age was 45.1 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.7 males age 18 and over.

There were 33,166 households in the county, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.1% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 36,931 housing units, of which 10.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.3% were owner-occupied and 28.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.1%.

57.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 42.8% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% White, 4.9% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.1% from some other race, and 5.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.1% of the population.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, 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

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

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.

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.

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.

Education

K-12 education

All of the county is within the Caldwell County Schools school district.

High schools operated by the district include:

Hibriten

South Caldwell

West Caldwell

Private schools

Harris Chapel Christian Academy

Heritage Christian School

New Beginning Christian Academy

Moravian Prep

Tertiary education

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Appalachian State University Center at Caldwell (a distance education site for Appalachian State University)

Communities

City

Lenoir (county seat and largest community)

Towns

Blowing Rock

Cajah's Mountain

Gamewell

Granite Falls

Hudson

Rhodhiss

Rutherford College (parts)

Sawmills

Village

Cedar Rock

Census-designated place

Northlakes

Other unincorporated communities

Abingdon

Adako

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:

Globe

Hudson

Johns River

Kings Creek

Lenoir

Little River

Lovelady

Lower Creek

Mullberry

North Catawba

Patterson

Wilson Creek

Yadkin Valley