Sawmills is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, home to about 5,042 people across 6.6 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28630 and 28638.
Homes sold for a median of $176 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Granite Falls; part is in Sawmills
Mostly Hudson; part is in Sawmills
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Sawmills. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Sawmills’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Sawmills well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)50 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC55 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA450 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Sawmills; 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.
Sawmills had 5,020 residents in the 2020 census, up 2% since 2000.
It’s the 163rd largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Caldwell County grew from 15,694 residents in 1900 to 80,652 in 2020.
Caldwell County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Hickory Faa Ap, NC weather station (6 miles away).
23,930 jobs at 1,414 businesses in Caldwell County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
106 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Sawmills’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 17 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 11 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 30 |
| Mental health providers | 29 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 15 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 26 |
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 (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Counts are within about 2 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.
Public schools here are run by Caldwell County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton ElementaryGranite Falls | Pre-K–5 | 357 | Public | 4.6 mi |
| Dudley Shoals ElementaryGranite Falls | Pre-K–5 | 433 | Public | 4.5 mi |
| Granite Falls ElementaryGranite Falls | Pre-K–5 | 647 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Hudson ElementaryHudson | Pre-K–5 | 665 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Sawmills ElementaryGranite Falls | Pre-K–5 | 351 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Gateway SchoolGranite Falls | 6–12 | 53 | Alternative Education | 5.9 mi |
| Granite Falls MiddleGranite Falls | 6–8 | 518 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Hudson MiddleHudson | 6–8 | 551 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Caldwell Applied Sciences AcademyHudson | 9–12 | 218 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Caldwell Early CollegeHudson | 9–13 | 387 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| South Caldwell HighHudson | 9–12 | 1,272 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Christian SchoolHudson | K–12 | 140 | Baptist | 3.5 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 Granite Falls, Hudson and Lenoir.
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.