West Marion is a community in McDowell County, North Carolina, home to about 1,066 people across 1.5 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28752.
Homes sold for a median of $195 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Part is in West Marion, part in Marion and Glenwood
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside West Marion. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up West Marion’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)69 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)34 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC74 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA480 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of West Marion; 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.
West Marion had 1,226 residents in the 2020 census, down 21% since 2000.
It’s the 444th 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 28°F. About 56.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 7 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Marion, NC weather station (about a mile 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).
228 doctors and other health care providers list an office in West Marion.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 18 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 19 |
| Dentists | 19 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 51 |
| Mental health providers | 85 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 28 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 13 |
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 (5 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastfield Global Magnet SchoolMarion | Pre-K–5 | 279 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Glenwood Elementary SchoolMarion | Pre-K–5 | 435 | Public | 5.2 mi |
| Marion Elementary SchoolMarion | Pre-K–5 | 333 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| North Cove Elementary SchoolMarion | Pre-K–5 | 230 | Public | 7.5 mi |
| Pleasant Gardens Elementary SchoolMarion | Pre-K–5 | 289 | Public | 3.0 mi |
| West Marion Elementary SchoolMarion | Pre-K–5 | 390 | Public | 4.8 mi |
| East McDowell Middle SchoolMarion | 6–8 | 392 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Foothills Community SchoolMarion | 6–8 | 200 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| The Summit AcademyMarion | 6–12 | 23 | Alternative Education | 0.5 mi |
| West McDowell Middle SchoolMarion | 6–8 | 550 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| McDowell Academy for InnovationMarion | 9–13 | 158 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| McDowell Early CollegeMarion | 9–13 | 241 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| McDowell High SchoolMarion | 9–12 | 1,379 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Manna Christian SchoolMarion | K–12 | 213 | Baptist | 0.8 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 Marion and Glenwood.
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.