Old Fort is a town in McDowell County, North Carolina, home to about 555 people across 1.2 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28762.
Homes sold for a median of $225 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Old Fort. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Old Fort’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)74 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)24 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC80 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA489 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Old Fort; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Old Fort had 811 residents in the 2020 census, down 16% since 2000.
It’s the 567th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
McDowell County grew from 12,567 residents in 1900 to 44,578 in 2020.
McDowell County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 25°F. About 56 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Old Ft Ag 3 W, NC weather station (4 miles away).
13,495 jobs at 822 businesses in McDowell County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
22 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Old Fort.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 4 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 7 |
| Mental health providers | 9 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by McDowell County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Fort Elementary SchoolOld Fort | Pre-K–5 | 360 | Public | 0.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.