Rutherfordton is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, home to about 3,680 people across 4.1 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28139.
Homes sold for a median of $185 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Part is in Rutherfordton, part in Ruth
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rutherfordton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rutherfordton’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)59 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)32 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC66 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA492 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rutherfordton; 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.
Rutherfordton had 3,640 residents in the 2020 census, down 12% since 2000.
It’s the 225th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Rutherford County grew from 25,101 residents in 1900 to 64,444 in 2020.
Rutherford County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 27°F. About 52.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Forest City 8 W, NC weather station (4 miles away).
16,815 jobs at 1,289 businesses in Rutherford County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
141 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rutherfordton.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 17 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 28 |
| Dentists | 5 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 25 |
| Mental health providers | 57 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| 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.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1.5 miles 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.
Established in 1787.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Rutherford County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle Elementary SchoolRutherfordton | Pre-K–5 | 254 | Public | 6.8 mi |
| Rutherfordton Elementary SchoolRutherfordton | Pre-K–5 | 397 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| R-S Middle SchoolRutherfordton | 6–8 | 561 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| R-S Central High SchoolRutherfordton | 9–12 | 763 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Ridge Mennonite SchoolRutherfordton | 1–10 | 24 | Mennonite | 6.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Ruth.
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.