Cleveland County is a county located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, and on the southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,078. Its county seat is Shelby.
Cleveland County comprises the Shelby, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area. This is included in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area. In the late 19th and early 20th century, this was an area of textile mills.
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 the Battle of King's Mountain. From 1841 to 1887 "Cleaveland" was the spelling used; the present spelling was adopted in 1887.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water.
Cleveland County is part of the South Mountains, a sub-range of the Blueridge Mountains that runs through the county's northwest corner.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.[https://www.wfae.org/post/there-and-back-crowders-mountain-and-kings-mountain#stream/0 Overall Cleveland County is very hilly, and even mountainous in certain parts, though not to the extreme as counties to the west or north.
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
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 99,519 people, 30,599 households, and 21,410 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, 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/km2). There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile (34/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.
Communities
thumb|300px|Map of Cleveland County, North Carolina, showing municipalities and townships. The townships have been dissolved.
Cities
Kings Mountain (small section is a part of Gaston County)
Shelby
Towns
Belwood
Boiling Springs
Casar
Earl
Fallston
Grover
Kingstown
Lattimore
Lawndale
Mooresboro
Patterson Springs
Polkville
Waco
Census-designated place
Light Oak
Unincorporated community
Toluca
Politics, law and government
Cleveland is a typical "Solid South" county in its voting patterns. It was Democratic until 1968 when a majority voted for George Wallace. In 1972 the county voted overwhelmingly for Richard Nixon, and since then Cleveland has become strongly Republican. 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.
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. It was formed from the 2004 merger of Kings Mountain City Schools, Shelby City Schools and the former Cleveland County Schools.
Post-secondary
Ambassador Bible College in Lattimore, North Carolina
Cleveland Community College
Gardner–Webb University
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.
Parts of the 2012 movie The Hunger Games were filmed in Cleveland County.
Notable people
Tamara P. Barringer, former state legislator and Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court
Bobby Bell, NFL Hall of Fame inductee
Alicia Bridges, disco singer
W. J. Cash, author of The Mind of the South
Bill Champion, MLB player.
Morris Davis, Colonel in US Air Force
Thomas Dixon Jr., minister, author
Manny Fernandez, "The Raging Bull", professional wrestler
David Flair, professional wrestler
Alvin Gentry, NBA Coach
Don Gibson, Country Music Hall of Fame inductee
Pleasant Daniel Gold, American publisher and Baptist minister
Kay Hagan, Senator from North Carolina.
Robert Harrill, The Fort Fisher Hermit
Keith E. Haynes, Maryland statesman, lawyer
Norris Hopper, MLB player
Hatcher Hughes, Pulitzer Prize winner
Charlie Justice, NFL player, two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up
Doug Limerick, ABC radio newscaster
Patty Loveless, country music singer
Leroy McAfee – Confederate soldier, Ku Klux Klan organizer, and member of the North Carolina House of Representatives (1870–73).
Manteo Mitchell, Olympic Silver Medalist, World Champion, US Champion, International Icon in Track & Field
Scottie Montgomery, NFL wide receiver, Oakland Raiders, Arena Football League player
Tim Moore (North Carolina politician), member of the General Assembly since 2003 and elected Speaker of the North Carolina State House in 2015, has lived in the county since 1997 and has his law practice there.
Travis Padgett, Olympic athlete in track and field
Floyd Patterson, heavyweight boxing champion, Boxing Hall Of Fame inductee
Rodney Allen Rippy, former child actor
Earl Scruggs, banjo player and composer, included on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Isaac Shelby, soldier, governor
Charlotte Smith, WNBA basketball player
Brandon Spikes, professional football linebacker
Billy Standridge, NASCAR driver
Tim Steele, 3-time ARCA champion, NASCAR driver
David Thompson, Hall of Fame college and professional basketball player
Cliff Washburn, NFL offensive tackle, Houston Texans
Tim Wilkison, tennis player
Tom Wright, MLB player.
Jonathan Bullard, NFL DE, Chicago Bears. Former Crest High School and the University of Florida football great.
A.G.Riddle, New York Times Best selling author of, “The Atlantis Gene.”