GlenwoodNC
This town of 226 people was settled in 1945.
Is Glenwood a good place to live?
59% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Glenwood, above both North Carolina’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). No town among the 291 in North Carolina we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Glenwood. Glenwood has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
226 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Glenwood: who provides what
Glenwood is unincorporated, so McDowell County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Glenwood.
The schools Glenwood’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the McDowell County Schools. Also worth knowing: 435 students attend Glenwood’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 435 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Glenwood has 0.2 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
The top destinations are Marion (19%), Charlotte (9%) and Asheville (8%). Employers in Glenwood added 30 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 39. In Glenwood, the median household income is $121,000. For half of commuters, work is under 20 miles away.
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Glenwood: four seasons and hot summers
A winter brings about 7 inches of snow, with January nights at 28° and July afternoons at 88°.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Glenwood is
Among adults in Glenwood, 17% smoke cigarettes and 15% report frequent physical distress. This North Carolina town beats the North Carolina average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. Just over two in five adults have high blood pressure in the town.
| Glenwood | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| What stands out | Glenwood | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.6% | 12.2% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.3% | 7.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Glenwood: inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Glenwood, 66% come from inland flooding and 9% from tornadoes. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Glenwood once, in 2024.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Mount Mitchell and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Glenwood. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi MountainMount Mitchell
14 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
35 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain
20 mi State parkChimney Rock State Park
20 mi Park & preserveLinville Gorge Wilderness
40 mi LandmarkPeachoidPhoto credits
Mount Mitchell: Unknown, Public domain · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Chimney Rock State Park: Jmturner, Public domain · Linville Gorge Wilderness: No machine-readable author provided. Amcbride~commonswiki assumed (based on copy, Public domain · Peachoid: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
Everything we know about Glenwood
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Glenwood
About 0 of every 100 Glenwood residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
100% of working residents leave Glenwood for work
Where Glenwood’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Glenwood
Census-designated place in North Carolina, United States
Glenwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 501.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,309 ft
- ZIP code
- 28737
Questions about Glenwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Glenwood, NC a good place to live?
Glenwood has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.