United States › North Carolina › Rutherfordton CITY
Rutherfordton North Carolina · 3,723 residents (2025 est.) · 4.14 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Rutherfordton is home to 3,680 people in North Carolina. People stay put here: 78% were in the same home a year ago. Median rent is $860 a month. 7% of locals were born outside the United States. Households here earn about 18% less than in North Carolina as a whole. The median household earns $59,375, about 28% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 61%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,131 in 2000
3,723 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
888 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 984 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 4K 4K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Rutherfordton Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $59,375
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,941 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,742 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.545 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 11.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$288,400
+61%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $98,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$860
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $423 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.0% in 2000
35.7% rent
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.26 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.5%(3,451)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(53)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 68.5%(2,522)
Hispanic / Latino 9.9%(366)
from 51 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data from 29.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 86.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 43.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 32.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 31.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 67.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 8.6%(12)
Gulf War (1990s) 11.4%(16)
Share of the 140 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Rutherfordton, North Carolina? Rutherfordton, North Carolina has about 3,680 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rutherfordton, North Carolina? The typical household in Rutherfordton, North Carolina earns about $59,375 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Rutherfordton, North Carolina expensive? In Rutherfordton, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $288,400, and the typical rent is about $860 a month.
How educated are people in Rutherfordton, North Carolina? About 35.0% of adults age 25 and over in Rutherfordton, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Rutherfordton, North Carolina? About 12.7% of people in Rutherfordton, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Rutherfordton, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Rutherfordton, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 63 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
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