Cleveland County, North Carolina

State and local protected areas

• Broad River Greenway
• City of Shelby Hanna Park
• Fallen Heroes Memorial at Raper-Roark Park
• John H. Moss Lake Recreation Park
• Kings Mountain Gateway Trail
• South Mountains Game Lands (part)^[8]

Major water bodies

• Benson Creek
• Broad River
• Buffalo Creek
• Hickory Creek^[9]
• Hilton Creek
• Kings Mountain Reservoir
• Little Buffalo Creek
• Little Persimmon Creek
• Persimmon Creek
• Suck Creek
• Moss Lake

Adjacent counties

• Burke County – north
• Lincoln County – east
• Gaston County – east
• York County, South Carolina – south
• Cherokee County, South Carolina – south
• Rutherford County – west

Major highways

• I-85
• US 29
• US 74
• 
  US 74 Bus. (Kings Mountain)
• 
  US 74 Bus. (Shelby)
• 
  US 74 Bus. (to Rutherford County)
• 
  US 74 Byp. (Shelby Bypass)
• NC 10
• NC 18
• NC 27
• NC 150
• NC 161
• NC 180
• NC 182
• NC 198
• NC 216
• NC 226

Major infrastructure

• Shelby–Cleveland County Regional Airport

Racial and ethnic composition

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 99,519 and a median age of 42.4 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.5 males age 18 and over.^[26]

There were 39,887 households in the county, including 21,410 families.^[1] Of those households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 45.9% were married-couple households, 17.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[26]

There were 43,630 housing units, of which 8.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.3% were owner-occupied and 33.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%.^[26]

The racial makeup of the county was 71.4% White, 20.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.1% from some other race, and 5.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.1% of the population.^[27]

37.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.2% lived in rural areas.^[28]

2010 census

At the 2010 census,^[29] there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile (80 people/km²). There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 units per square mile (34 units/km²). 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.

Cleveland County Schools

Cleveland County Schools, which covers the entire county,^[33] 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.^[34] It was formed from the 2004 merger of Kings Mountain City Schools, Shelby City Schools and the former Cleveland County Schools.^[35][36]

Post-secondary

• Ambassador Bible College in Lattimore, North Carolina^[37]
• Cleveland Community College
• Gardner–Webb University

Cities

• Kings Mountain (small section in Gaston County)
• Shelby (county seat and largest community)

Towns

Census-designated place

• Light Oak

Unincorporated communities

• Delight
• Double Shoals
• Hillsdale
• Toluca
• Woodbridge
• Zion

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^[when?] and is now a single nonfunctioning, nongovernmental county subdivision called Cleveland.^[38] The townships that previously existed in the county were:

• Township 1, River
• Township 2, Boiling Springs
• Township 3, Rippys
• Township 4, Kings Mountain
• Township 5, Warlick
• Township 6, Shelby
• Township 7, Sandy Run
• Township 8, Polkville
• Township 9, Double Shoals
• Township 10, Knob Creek
• Township 11, Casar