| Name | Rutherford County |
| State | North Carolina |
| FIPS Code | 37161 |
| County Seat | Rutherfordton |
| Timezone | Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) |
| Population (2024) | 65,369 |
| Population Growth Rate(2020-2024) | 1.42% |
| Majority Ethnicity | White 85.26% |
| Public School Majority Ethnicity | White 71% |
| Partisan Voting Index | Strongly Republican:+25 |
| Unemployment Rate (May 2026) | 4.6% |
| Sales Tax Rate (2025) | 7% |
| Area Code(s) | 828 / 704 / 980 |
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Population (2023) |
|---|---|
| White | 85.26% |
| African American | 8.3% |
| Hispanic | 5.6% |
| Asian | 0.54% |
| Native American | 0.24% |
| Hawaiin/Pacific Islander | 0.05% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Public School Students (2023) |
|---|---|
| White | 70.59% |
| African American | 10.7% |
| Hispanic | 10.57% |
| Asian | 0.36% |
| Native American | 0.13% |
| Hawaiin/Pacific Islander | 0.08% |