HomeNorth CarolinaRutherford County
Rutherford County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Rutherford County, North Carolina had an estimated 65,587 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 64,444, across 564 square miles. County output reached $2.49 bn in 2024, 1,289 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 37 7(a) approvals worth $25.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Rutherford County
How many people live in Rutherford County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202464,930
- Households26,642
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$51,410
- Median age45.3
- Median gross rent$783 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$201,800
- Home value to household income3.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over47,251
- Population under 1813,061
- Share under 1820.1 percent
- Population 65 and over14,458
- Share 65 and over22.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6437,411
- Civilian labor force29,343
- Unemployment rate6.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.6 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties43rd of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included849th of 3,222
Rutherford County is the 43rd largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.9 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.3 percent against 20.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Rutherford County
Is Rutherford County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202465,587
- Census 2020 base population64,444
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024218
- Births, 2024622
- Deaths, 20241,006
- Natural change, 2024-384
- Net domestic migration, 2024600
- Net international migration, 20242
- Total net migration, 2024602
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,886
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1251st of 3,144
The county has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Rutherford County
Where are people moving to Rutherford County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,637
- People arriving, from those returns3,007
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,178
- Net household movement459
- Adjusted gross income arriving$107.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$47.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$65,446
- Average income of a leaving household$50,732
- Largest single originCleveland County (155 households)
- Largest single destinationCleveland County (172 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | 155 | 315 | $6.0 m |
| Buncombe County | 113 | 182 | $5.9 m |
| Henderson County | 98 | 175 | $5.5 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 78 | 130 | $5.0 m |
| Spartanburg County | 76 | 144 | $3.1 m |
| Polk County | 75 | 154 | $3.7 m |
| McDowell County | 54 | 98 | $2.3 m |
| Gaston County | 50 | 105 | $2.7 m |
Households arriving report $14,714 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Cleveland County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Rutherford County
What is the Rutherford County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.49 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.40 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.8 percent
- GDP change over five years32.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes53rd of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1106th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$38,351
Output grew 3.8 percent in the latest year and 32.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Rutherford County
Employment by industry in Rutherford County
- Covered employment, annual average17,994
- Establishments reporting1,498
- Average annual pay$48,125
- Average weekly wage$925
- Retail trade, employment2,680
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,264
- Manufacturing, employment2,560
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,182
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,126
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,671
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,900
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,259
- Construction, employment1,362
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment882
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,680 | 232 | $31,264 |
| Manufacturing | 2,560 | 83 | $62,182 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,126 | 145 | $48,671 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,900 | 132 | $23,259 |
| Construction | 1,362 | 152 | $71,962 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 882 | 100 | $42,560 |
| Information | 617 | 27 | $64,666 |
| Other services, except public administration | 435 | 127 | $36,859 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,680 jobs, 14.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Rutherford County
How many businesses are in Rutherford County?
- Establishments, all industries1,289
- Employment at those establishments16,815
- Annual payroll$703.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Rutherford County
Building permits in Rutherford County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024193
- Declared construction value permitted$61.7 m
- Single family units authorized191
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units1.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$319,621
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.2
Single-family homes are 99.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Rutherford County
SBA loans in Rutherford County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded37
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$25.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$698,705
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$21,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,636,400
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)694
- Jobs per approval18.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals30
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer43.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms16
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter20
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals5.4 percent
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (8)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.4 m
- Average 504 approval$919,286
- Median 504 approval$242,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval10.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.0
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$32.3 m
The average approval of $698,705 sits well above the median of $350,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 43.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rutherford County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Rutherford County
Do SBA loans in Rutherford County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full6
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure26
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 7 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rutherford County
SBA lending by place in Rutherford County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Rutherfordton, approvals15
- Forest City, approvals9
- Spindale, approvals5
- Bostic, approvals3
- Lake Lure, approvals2
- Henrietta, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Rutherfordton | 15 | $6,456,300 |
| Forest City | 9 | $13,975,000 |
| Spindale | 5 | $1,712,300 |
| Bostic | 3 | $1,338,500 |
| Lake Lure | 2 | $2,130,000 |
| Henrietta | 1 | $165,000 |
| Union Mills | 1 | $50,000 |
| Ellenboro | 1 | $25,000 |
Rutherfordton accounts for 15 approvals against 9 in Forest City. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rutherford County
How large is Rutherford County?
- Land area564 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties28th of 100
- Width, east to west33.1 mi
- Height, north to south27.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land115
- Establishments per square mile2.29
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Rutherford County
Flood risk in Rutherford County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Rutherford County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370217
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Rutherford County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Rutherford County (community 370217), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Rutherford County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Rutherford County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Rutherford County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202464,930
- Households26,642
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$51,410
- Median age45.3
Common questions
Rutherford County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 65,587 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 64,930, in 26,642 households, ranking 43rd of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Rutherford County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 64,444, to 65,587 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 622 births against 1,006 deaths, with net migration of 602. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Rutherford County?
$51,410. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $201,800, which is 3.9 times income, and median gross rent is $783 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Rutherford County?
1,289 establishments, employing 16,815 people with an annual payroll of $703.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Rutherford County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,680 jobs, 14.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 17,994 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,125, or $925 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Rutherford County?
37 7(a) approvals totaling $25.9 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 7 504 approvals worth $6.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Rutherford County?
193 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $61.7 m. Multifamily was 1.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Rutherford County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Rutherford County come from?
The largest single origin is Cleveland County, with 155 households. Arriving households report an average income of $65,446 against $50,732 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Rutherford County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Rutherford County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Rutherford County
Cities and places in Rutherford.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Rutherford County. All 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City | town | 7,363 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Spindale | town | 4,131 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Rutherfordton | town | 3,680 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Lure | town | 1,543 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Ellenboro | town | 901 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Ruth | town | 510 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cliffside | CDP | 438 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bostic | town | 433 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Henrietta | CDP | 197 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Chimney Rock Village | village | 122 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Caroleen | CDP | 116 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 37 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Rutherford County, the largest being Union Mills (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.