Valdese is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, home to about 4,704 people across 7.9 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28690, and parts of 28612 and 28671 are in Valdese too.
Homes sold for a median of $219 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Valdese; also Rutherford College
Part is in Valdese, part in Connelly Springs and Icard
Mostly Rutherford College; part is in Valdese
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Valdese. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Valdese’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)50 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC55 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA458 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Valdese; 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.
Valdese had 4,689 residents in the 2020 census, up 5% since 2000.
It’s the 177th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Burke County grew from 17,699 residents in 1900 to 87,570 in 2020.
Burke County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 28°F. About 51.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 5 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Morganton, NC weather station (6 miles away).
24,509 jobs at 1,540 businesses in Burke County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
29 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Valdese.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 6 |
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 8 |
| Mental health providers | 10 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 2 |
| 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.
Parks (5 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
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 Burke County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdese ElementaryValdese | Pre-K–5 | 530 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Burke Virtual AcademyValdese | K–12 | — | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Heritage MiddleValdese | 6–8 | 475 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Draughn High SchoolValdese | 9–12 | 661 | Public | 1.8 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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Shares ZIP codes with Connelly Springs, Icard, Rutherford College and Hildebran.
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.