Rutherford County is located in western North Carolina, on the eastern slopes of the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. We are between Asheville (a 45 minute drive) and Charlotte (an hour and a half drive). North and south are accessed by US Hwy 221, and east and west routes utilize highways 64 and 74. Interstate 40 is just north of the county, Interstate 26 just west, and Interstate 85 just south.

The southern border of the county is the state line between North and South Carolina. To the east is Cleveland County, to the north is Burke & McDowell counties, and to the west is Polk, Henderson, and Buncombe counties.

Our lowest elevation is located in the southeast part of the county at 806 feet above sea level. The highest point is SugarLoaf Mountain in the northwest area, with an elevation of 3,967 feet above sea level. Rutherford County covers 563 square miles of mostly rolling hills, with mountains in the north, northwest and northeast area. You’ll find many rivers, creeks, and streams throughout the county.

Rutherfordton is the county seat with approximately 4100 residents. Adjacent are the towns of Spindale, another 4000 people, and the more commercial Forest City, with a population of 7500. Together, the three towns are identified as the tri-city area. To the west is Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, together about 1200 residents. South is Cliffside, Caroleen, Harris, and Henrietta, east is Ellenboro, and just northeast of Forest City is Bostic. Including the rural addresses in between these towns, the county population is a little over 63,000.

Did we mention we are in a rural area of western North Carolina? Even though our county is the second largest in the state, our total population is less than the town of Asheville, North Carolina, but we like it that way.