Town guide

Waco, North Carolina

Waco is a town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, home to about 171 people across 0.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28169, and parts of 28021 are in Waco too.

Homes sold for a median of $170 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population171204 per sq mi
Median home value$92,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$170Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking13%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Waco

2 ZIP codes, 1 shared with neighboring towns
Waco, NC28169Not enough recent sales for market figures yet.

All in Waco

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Waco. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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  • History
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  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Waco

Distances

Nearest major airportCharlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)28 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Charlotte, NC34 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Philadelphia, PA469 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Waco; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Waco

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Waco had 310 residents in the 2020 census, down 5% since 2000.

It’s the 718th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.

Cleveland County grew from 25,078 residents in 1900 to 99,519 in 2020.

Waco population by census2000: 328, 2010: 321, 2020: 310328200032120103102020

Cleveland County, 1900–2020

Cleveland County population, 1900 to 20201900: 25,078, 1910: 29,494, 1920: 34,272, 1930: 51,914, 1940: 58,055, 1950: 64,357, 1960: 66,048, 1970: 72,556, 1980: 83,435, 1990: 84,714, 2000: 96,287, 2010: 98,078, 2020: 99,51925K’00’1034K’20’3058K’40’5066K’60’7083K’80’9096K’00’10100K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 6 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near WacoJan: high 51°F, low 30°F, 3.9 in; Feb: high 56°F, low 33°F, 3.5 in; Mar: high 64°F, low 39°F, 4.5 in; Apr: high 73°F, low 47°F, 4.3 in; May: high 79°F, low 56°F, 4.2 in; Jun: high 86°F, low 64°F, 4.3 in; Jul: high 89°F, low 67°F, 4.1 in; Aug: high 87°F, low 67°F, 4.9 in; Sep: high 82°F, low 60°F, 4.2 in; Oct: high 73°F, low 48°F, 3.8 in; Nov: high 62°F, low 38°F, 3.8 in; Dec: high 54°F, low 33°F, 4.1 in51°30°Jan3.956°33°Feb3.564°39°Mar4.573°47°Apr4.379°56°May4.286°64°Jun4.389°67°Jul4.187°67°Aug4.982°60°Sep4.273°48°Oct3.862°38°Nov3.854°33°Dec4.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Lincolnton 4 W, NC weather station (8 miles away).

Jobs in Cleveland County

30,800 jobs at 2,028 businesses in Cleveland County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Cleveland CountyManufacturing: 6,652 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 5,147 jobs; Retail trade: 4,621 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 2,970 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 2,470 jobs; Administrative and support: 1,515 jobs; Other services: 1,418 jobs; Construction: 1,388 jobsManufacturing 22% Health care and social assistance 17% Retail trade 15% Hotels and restaurants 10% Transportation and warehousing 8% Administrative and support 5% Other services 5% Construction 5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Atrium Health ClevelandGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Shelby8.6 miles
  • Atrium Health LincolnGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Lincolnton14.3 miles
  • Caromont Regional Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Gastonia16.3 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

Places in and around Waco

Parks (1 nearby)

  • Westgate Park · 8 acres0.6 mi

Grocery stores (1 nearby)

  • Food Lion0.9 mi

Pharmacies

  • Tas Drug1.5 mi
  • Houser Drug1.9 mi
  • Walmart Pharmacy4.5 mi

Libraries

  • Cherryville Public Library2.1 mi

Museums

  • C Grier Beam Truck Museum1.8 mi
  • Cherryville Historical Museum1.8 mi
  • Cherryville Railroad Museum2.1 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Little Theater1.5 mi

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.

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Where Waco is

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Shares ZIP codes with Cherryville.

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.