Cleveland County, North Carolina Explained

Ex Image:Cleveland County Courthouse (February 2023) 4.jpg
Ex Image Cap:Cleveland County Courthouse
County:Cleveland County
State:North Carolina
Seal:Cleveland County seal.png
Founded:1841
Seat Wl:Shelby
Largest City Wl:Shelby
City Type:community
Area Total Sq Mi:468.18
Area Land Sq Mi:464.25
Area Water Sq Mi:3.93
Area Percentage:0.84
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:99519
Pop Est As Of:2023
Population Est:101378
Population Density Sq Mi:214.37
Coordinates:35.33°N -81.56°W
Web:www.clevelandcounty.com
District:10th
Time Zone:Eastern
Motto:"Live, Work and Play in Cleveland County"

Cleveland County is a county located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, on the southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 99,519. Its county seat is Shelby.[1] Cleveland County comprises the Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area.[2]

History

The county was formed in 1841 from parts of Lincoln and Rutherford counties. It was named for Benjamin Cleveland, a colonel in the American Revolutionary War, who took part in Patriot victory at the Battle of King's Mountain. From 1841 to 1887 "Cleaveland" was the spelling used; the present spelling was adopted in 1887.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.84%) is water.[4]

Cleveland County is part of the South Mountains, a sub-range of the Blueridge Mountains that runs through the county's northwest corner.[5] In the south east corner of the county is Crowders & Kings Mountains, part of a small narrow ridge that sits above the very near surrounding area. They are part of a very old remnant of The Appalachians and used to be much larger.[6] Overall Cleveland County is very hilly, and even mountainous in certain parts, though not to the extreme as counties to the west or north.

State and local protected areas

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Demographics

2020 census

Race!scope="col"
NumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)70,16370.5%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)20,03420.13%
Native American2220.22%
Asian8540.86%
Pacific Islander230.02%
Other/Mixed4,1844.2%
Hispanic or Latino4,0394.06%

As of the 2020 census, there were 99,519 people, 30,599 households, and 21,410 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census,[9] there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207/mi2. There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 74% White, 21% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Of any race, 3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 37,046 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,283, and the median income for a family was $41,733. Males had a median income of $30,882 versus $21,995 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,395. About 10.10% of families and 13.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 14.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Cleveland is a typical "Solid South" county in its voting patterns. It was Democratic until 1968 when the county voted for American Independent Party candidate George Wallace. In 1972, the county voted overwhelmingly for Richard Nixon, and since then, Cleveland has become a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry Cleveland County was Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Cleveland County is a member of the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission regional council of governments.[10] [11]

Education

Cleveland County Schools

Cleveland County Schools has 29 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade, comprising five high schools, two alternative schools, four middle schools, two intermediate schools (grades 5 and 6), and sixteen elementary schools.[12] It was formed from the 2004 merger of Kings Mountain City Schools, Shelby City Schools and the former Cleveland County Schools.[13] [14]

Post-secondary

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Townships

By the requirement of the North Carolina Constitution of 1868, Cleveland County was divided into 11 townships. However, the county later dissolved all townships and is now a single nonfunctioning, nongovernmental county subdivision called Cleveland. The townships that previously existed in the county were:

Notable people

In popular culture

The 2000 disappearance of Asha Degree, a Shelby girl, was discussed on television shows including America's Most Wanted, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, and The Montel Williams Show.[19]

Parts of the 2012 movie The Hunger Games were filmed in Cleveland County.[20]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Find a County . June 7, 2011 . National Association of Counties . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx . May 31, 2011 .
  2. Web site: July 21, 2023 . OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas . August 10, 2023 . United States Office of Management and Budget.
  3. Web site: Cleveland County history . September 26, 2022 . www.ncgenweb.us.
  4. Web site: August 23, 2022 . 2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina . September 9, 2023 . United States Census Bureau.
  5. Web site: South Mountains State Park . August 30, 2022 . www.ncparks.gov.
  6. Web site: July 2, 2014 . There And Back: Crowders Mountain And Kings Mountain . August 30, 2022 . WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source . en.
  7. Web site: NCWRC Game Lands . March 30, 2023 . www.ncpaws.org.
  8. Web site: January 2010 . Carolina Thread Trail Masterplan For Cleveland County Communities . May 26, 2023 . Carolina Thread Trail.
  9. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 .
  10. Web site: Isothermal Planning and Development Commission (regional council) . dead . https://archive.today/20140707060219/http://www.regionc.org/index.cfm . July 7, 2014.
  11. http://www.nctomorrow.org/isothermal-planning-and-development-commission/ Isothermal Planning and Development Commission (NC Tomorrow)
  12. Web site: Schools. Cleveland County Schools. January 8, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120729100845/http://www.clevelandcountyschools.org/index.php/schools/school-sites. July 29, 2012.
  13. News: Court affirms school merger approved by the State Board of Education. January 8, 2013. University of North Carolina School of Government. Summer 2003. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130223080229/http://csl.sog.unc.edu/node/274. February 23, 2013.
  14. News: Moore Will Head Merged Schools, Parents Await First Changes to Cleveland County School System. The Charlotte Observer. January 14, 2004. 2B.
  15. Web site: Contact ABC. Ambassador Bible College. September 8, 2012.
  16. Web site: Bill Champion's career statistics. baseball-reference.com. March 29, 2009.
  17. Web site: About Kay Hagan. United States Senate. May 12, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090527235941/http://hagan.senate.gov/?p=biography. May 27, 2009.
  18. Web site: Tom Wright's career statistics. retrosheet.org. September 8, 2008.
  19. News: 'Good Morning America' Profiles Local Girl's Disappearance. EndPlay. September 9, 2010. WSOC. March 15, 2018. en-US.
  20. Web site: Pickens. Jessica. Cleveland County, NC, a popular spot for filming movies, TV shows. Halifax Media Group. January 30, 2014.

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