Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 4,180, settled in 1917.
Spindale grades D overall, ranked 218th of 286 in North Carolina, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $41K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 95% of the country. In its favor, natural-hazard risk is low. 14% of residents are under 18 in Spindale, below both North Carolina’s towns (22%) and U.S. towns (22%). Spindale is home to Isothermal Community College.
Where Spindale beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Isothermal Community College | 938 |
| Widest gap | Spindale | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.9% | 13.9% |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Spindale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 3,066 in 1930, 4,225 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Spindale, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Spindale.
Spindale carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of North Carolina (mostly inland flooding), is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay.
Against the 2,754 U.S. towns with household incomes like Spindale’s, it is less healthy than 73%, so that grade isn’t only a matter of income.
For adults in Spindale, the share who report frequent mental distress is 20%. Two figures for adults locally: 16% have diabetes, 25% worry about having enough food.
| Spindale | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 19% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 12% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Spindale | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.9% | 13.9% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.6% | 8.1% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 25.2% | 15.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Rutherford County Schools. Enrollment at Spindale’s public school: 337 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spindale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 337 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
At 3 years of the Forest City area’s $51K median household income, the typical home (about $153K) costs less against local pay than in 88% of North Carolina towns; that ratio is one input to its B− for cost of living.
44% of Spindale households are owner-occupiers. In Spindale, the going rate for rent is $755 a month.
| Spindale | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 44% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $755 a month | $1,086 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 97% of North Carolina towns, with expected losses of about $289 per resident a year; that rating is what its A for hazard risk is built on.
Only 10 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a lower FEMA risk score than Spindale. Expected losses in Spindale break down as 46% from inland flooding and 16% from strong winds. Federal aid has come to Spindale households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Spindale has about as many jobs (2,072) as working residents, but only 104 people both live and work here.
Most people who work leave Spindale to do it: just 6% work in town. The top destinations are Forest City (11%), Rutherfordton (8%) and Charlotte (8%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
| Spindale | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
0.1 miles of trail wind through 2 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Spindale: 2, covering 18 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Charles Deviney Park | — | 15 |
| 2. North Slope Skate Park & Pump Track | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Spindale
About 4 of every 100 Spindale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Town in North Carolina, United States
Spindale is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,225 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Spindale.
| Town | NC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spindale | #218 | D | B− | — | B | D |
| Rutherfordton | #263 | D− | C− | C− | B | C− |
| Forest City | #259 | D− | C+ | D− | B | D− |
Spindale reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Spindale with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Spindale grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #218 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades D for health and B for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3 years of the area's median household income ($51,410 across the Forest City, NC area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.