The beauty and charm of Iredell County is winning people over. This welcoming place to live in North Carolina spans from the lakeside to the countryside. From its rich history dating back to the Revolutionary War era to its thriving economy and top-rated schools, there are countless reasons why people choose Iredell County as their forever home. Read our profile, and maybe you’ll discover living in Iredell County could be just right for you.

About Iredell County

Iredell is in the heart of the Piedmont region. Find century-old farmlands complete with quilt-squared barns and scenic countryside. The Catawba River winds along most of the western border. It has been dammed to create Lake Norman, the state’s largest man-made lake. This “inland sea” draws residents and tourists for summertime fun.

The ridge of the Brushy Mountains extends into the northwest corner. Fox Mountain, the county’s highest point at 1,760 ft, rises high over the beautiful region. Down from its heights flow creeks that feed watersheds like the Catawba and Yadkin Rivers. The Rocky River emerges from the groundwater near Mooresville and flows across the county into Rowan County and later, the Pee Dee River.

Iredell spans a lot of real estate. Multiple counties touch its borders: Mecklenburg, Rowan, Cabarrus, Lincoln, Catawba, Alexander, Wilkes, Davie, and Yadkin Counties. Mecklenburg County is the heart of the Charlotte metro.

The southern end is the most developed; some charming towns are considered Charlotte suburbs. The north remains more rural, with farming and small-town communities proud of their deep roots. Residents can easily drive to Charlotte or Winston-Salem, about 40 miles away. Asheville is 90 miles, and Greensboro is 60 miles away. 

Iredell Weather

Do you appreciate four-season living? Central North Carolina delivers splashes for all four seasons. The annual average temperature is 60F, but you’ll get a high of 80F in the summer and a low of 20F in the winter. Iredell County receives around 55 inches of precipitation in a year. About nine inches of that is snowfall. So you’ll get occasional snow and ice for winter, but usually not frequently and deep enough to grow tired of shoveling and plowing. Summers turn up the heat, making a splash in Lake Norman alluring. In between are beautiful fall and spring days.

Cost of Living

Living in Iredell County does seem to have a higher average cost of living than the North Carolina standard. The Best Places Index sets the United States average at 100. North Carolina scores 91, but Iredell scores an overall 98.6. It is more budget-friendly than most places in the nation. Of the index categories, health care was the most above the national average, while housing was the most below the national average. 

Iredell County History

The area’s original inhabitants were the Cherokee and Catawba indigenous peoples. Fort Dobbs was constructed in 1756 during the French and Indian War to protect European settlers in the western North Carolina wilderness. The state park is the last remaining historic site commemorating the war before the American Revolution in the state. 

Iredell County split from nearby Rowan County in 1788. It was named after the Attorney General of North Carolina, James Iredell, during the American Revolution. He later became one of the first Supreme Court justices. Statesville was established as the county seat.

The fertile soils drew people to settle and begin farming in the region. Agribusiness remains vital to the modern economy, but it was absolutely vital for a growing nation. Iredell farmers grew corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and more.

Railroad construction commenced in the middle of the 1800s, bringing economic growth into the area. Several railroads cross through Iredell County, increasing the trade flow. Tobacco, herbarium, and liquor businesses prospered in 19th-century Iredell. The Wallace Herbarium became the largest facility of its kind during the railroad boom. 

Iredell escaped significant action during the American Civil War, although it did supply many troops for the Confederate forces. 

Iredell County Cities and Areas

With almost 200,000 people, living in Iredell is a juxtaposition of lifestyles. Close to Charlotte are suburban communities, while Lake Norman is highly dense and developed near the lakefront. There are palatial estates, golf course communities, and historic homes. It transitions away from small towns with the classic downtown Main Street and wide, open farmlands and forests in between.  

The most populated town is Mooresville in the southern part of Iredell County. It lies about 25 miles north of Uptown Charlotte. Mooresville’s downtown area has a thriving scene with shops, dining, and small businesses. Corporate headquarters are nearby for various operations, such as Team Penske, Green Works, and Lowe’s Companies. It’s also prized for a high-performing school system that ranks among the best in North Carolina. Over the last few years, it has become one of the fastest-growing parts of the metro and the state. 

Central in Iredell, Statesville is the county seat. Some say whiskey and medicine built the historic town. The modern city sits at the intersection of Interstates 40 and 77. Its beautiful, walkable downtown area was accredited as a Main Street America community. Healthcare and government work is central to the local job market, but multiple manufacturers are based about the town.

Troutman is about 35 miles north of Charlotte. Its residents enjoy the neighborly interactions that come with small-town living. While a longer drive to the central metro, essential manufacturers leverage the land and low cost of doing business around Troutman. Additionally, it has an average resident age of 38, giving it a youthful and progressive feel. 

Love Valley radiates Western vibes and embraces them. Known as a horse community, this family-oriented camping resort town has miles of trails for people to explore. It sits in the Brushy Mountain foothills.

The other incorporated small towns are Harmony and Union Grove. These small towns are in the northern Iredell. 

Iredell County Job Market

Good news for your job prospects: Iredell was a top county for economic growth in 2023. In July 2024, Iredell County had a 4.1% unemployment rate, similar to the national average at that time. The average worker had a $1,196 average weekly wage. Median household incomes were $73,446 in 2022.

Manufacturing, retail trade, and health care are the leading employing industries based on the number of persons employed. Accommodation and food service, construction, and educational services also have significant representation. 

The companies with the most employees were Lowe’s Companies, Iredell-Statesville School System, Iredell Memorial Hospital, Iredell County, Food Lion, Walmart, Piedmont Healthcare, Mooresville Graded School System, NGK Ceramics, and Bestco.

The top manufacturers in the county included NGK Ceramics, Kewaunee Scientific Corporation, Doosan, Engineered Sintered Components, and DENSO.  

Residents reported the average travel time to work was 26 minutes. 

Iredell County Real Estate Market 

The Charlotte metro is one of the nation’s hottest housing markets in 2023 and 2024. As a metro county, Iredell County falls into that group.

In 2023, Iredell County’s real estate market had a median sale price of $279,000, an 1.8% decline from 2022. However, home prices are up 41% from 2019, a testament to the dramatic growth of the metro. It ended the year with a 2.6 months supply of inventory. Homes were on the housing market an average of 12 days on market until going under contract. 

The most recent housing data (August 2024) reported a median home sale price of $400,000, a 4.6% year-over-year upward bump. The county had a 3.1-month supply of homes, but other metrics show the available homes for sale were moving. The days on market dropped to 40 from 43, while pending sales increased 44%.

Approximately 62% of Iredell County’s residents lived in an urban area. 

Homes in Iredell towns

Looking closer at Mooresville, median home prices were $475,000 for 2023. This was a 3.9% increase year-over-year and 56% up from 2019. More recently in August 2024, the homes for sale were on the market an average of 38 days until close. Like much of the nation, new listings in Mooresville were rising for the month and year-to-date. Median sale prices in Mooresville tended to be higher than other suburbs in the Charlotte metro region, with significant increases starting in late 2019.

In Statesville, the median sale price was $294,500, a 7.1% year-over-year increase. The average home was on the market for 88 days until sale. The months’ supply of inventory was 2.7 months. By August 2024, new listings in Statesville were down for the month and the year. Along with that, year-over-year median home prices declined 1.4% but were still up 5.4% for the year-to-date at $304,999.

Iredell County residents paid a $0.5375 property tax rate. Values were last assessed in 2019 and will be re-valued in 2023. 

Iredell County Population 

Iredell County experienced significant population growth from the 2010 to 2020 census. The April 2020 count found 186,693 people residing in Iredell, a 15% increase over the decade. By 2022, it was approaching the 200,000 mark. By 2030, North Carolina projects a 13% growth in population to around 207,217 residents.

Mooresville reported the most significant population growth. Estimates in 2024 now place it at 52,000 residents, a 12,000-person leap from 2019. In one study, it was the nation’s fastest-growing suburb for 2023. An abundance of new housing developments are assisting with the town’s growth. 

Iredell County Education and Colleges

Two public school districts serve Iredell County K-12 students.

Iredell-Statesville School District has over 20,000 students, making it one of the state’s larger school districts. It operates 17 elementary schools, two K-12 schools, eight middle schools, seven high schools, two early college high schools, and two specialized career academies. Students have pathways in International Baccalaureate studies, virtual schools, Dual Language immersion, and career preparation.

Mooresville Graded School District educates over 6,000 students in PK-12. It’s frequently been a top ten district in North Carolina for academic achievement. The school district runs three elementary schools, two intermediate schools, one middle school, and one high school with an alternative learning academy, MIWAYE. 

Families have 13 private schools to select from for K-12 education. Some top-ranked private schools are Cornerstone Christian Academy, Woodlawn School, and Southview Christian School. Around 69% of the private schools are religiously affiliated. 

Mitchell Community College has been providing education in Statesville for over 150 years. It is a two-year school with programs such as agribusiness technology and the fine arts. To better serve its local workforce, MCC has an advanced integrated machining lab for manufacturing skills. The program options include public safety, health science, public service, and digital media technologies. One program is 49er Next, a pathway for students to transfer to UNC-Charlotte for a bachelor’s degree. 

NASCAR Technical Institute is the exclusive education provider for NASCAR. It trains students in motorsport fundamentals. The Mooresville campus is the only one in the country to run NASCAR-endorsed training. It focuses on everything to do with high-performance racing cars: engines to fabrication and welding to pit crew essentials. 

Iredell County Health Care 

Three hospitals provide convenient access to health care services for locals.

The Iredell Health System is a not-for-profit, community-focused group that runs the Iredell Memorial Hospital with 247 beds. Iredell County citizens own the building and grounds. The network also has 260 physicians on staff and a range of specialties. US News and World Report has ranked Iredell Memorial Hospital as “high performing” in the categories of heart attack, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Its additional facilities include Iredell Home Health, Iredell Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center, and the Iredell Physician Network.

Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville serves Iredell and its surrounding neighbor counties. It is a 144-bed acute hospital located near I-40. It holds accreditations and certifications from The Joint Commission, the American College of Cardiology, the American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Healogics.

Lake Norman Regional Medical Center has a campus with a 123-bed hospital, an orthopedic specialty center, a women’s center, and an outpatient surgery center. Its additional care services include cardiology, oncology, and surgical weight loss. The outpatient surgery center has a designation from the American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery Center of Excellence. The facility is just off of I-77 in Mooresville.

Another local medical provider is Piedmont Healthcare, a physician-owned multi-specialty group. It has over 50 locations and 200 physicians with multiple specialties.

Iredell County Things to Do

One of Iredell’s claims to fame is its affiliation with NASCAR racing. Mooresville is known as Race City USA because several NASCAR racing teams and motorsports suppliers call the city home. Local teams include Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Rusty Wallace, Penske Racing, and Richard Petty Motorsports. Residents live pretty close to the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord. 

Outdoor recreation

Perhaps High-speed adrenaline sports aren’t your thing. For a slower pace, Iredell’s rolling wooded landscape has you covered. The county has over 600 acres of parks with walking trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, baseball fields, and soccer complexes. Among these is the Statesville Greenway, part of the Carolina Thread Trail. It follows along Fourth Creek and has several access points for a nice stroll or bike. 

Lake Norman State Park has a public swimming beach and boat access. More public boat ramps are found outside of Troutman and Mooresville.

From Love Valley, equestrians have 2,000 acres of privately owned land to ride. The facilities are open 24/7. The Western “town” also hosts special events, like an Old-Fashioned Cowboy Christmas and a three-day mountain bike event, the Love Valley Roubaix. 

Hometown Festivals

If you like a good hometown festival, Iredell has you covered. Downtown Mooresville runs family-friendly events for the holidays in October and December. The Mooresville Wiener Races will have you laughing, cheering, and helping raise money for local pet rescue groups. The small town of Troutman has an Independence Day Parade and Festival complete with fireworks. For classic fair fun, head to the annual Iredell County Fair, usually held near the end of summer at the fairgrounds.

Statesville’s signature event is the Carolina Balloonfest. Look to the skies, or maybe ride in one yourself! The view is spectacular, spanning up to 50 miles on a clear day. The balloons take to the skies usually in October, but hot air balloon rides are bookable all year. Approximately 40,000 people visit Statesville for the nation’s second-oldest hot air balloon festival.

Another renowned festival takes place in Union Grove. The Old Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival hosts over 10,000 people for a convention and bluegrass competition at The VanHoy Farms Family Campground. Camping is available for festival attendees. 

Golfing

Golfers have nine courses to play in Iredell County. One is the award-winning Trump National Golf Club Charlotte near Mooresville, complete with views of Lake Norman. The courses near Statesville take advantage of the rolling hills and spectacular views.   

Iredell County Local Attractions

Lake Norman is a huge draw for visitors and why some people move to Iredell County. It has over 32,000 acres for boating and fishing activities. Off the water, there are miles of hiking along its shoreline. Lake Norman State Park has a 30-mile single-track mountain biking trail. The swimming beach and a boat ramp are other perks.

North Carolina Auto Racing Hall Of Fame has over 35 race cars dedicated to all kinds of racing. Learn about all types of stock cars and drag racers in the stories behind them. In addition to the museum, there is an art gallery and Visitor Center. 

The Fort Dobbs Historic Site has an eighteenth-century log structure that replicates the outpost during the French and Indian War. The site occasionally hosts live reenactments and is the only historic site in North Carolina for this era. 

The Iredell Museum in downtown Statesville shows highlights from the area’s history and abroad. One of the more surprising items in its collection is a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy.

Outside Statesville, you can try finding a gem at the Emerald Hollow Mine. The mine has over sixty types of naturally occurring precious gems, including the namesake emeralds. 

Southern Distellery is one of the southeast’s largest distillers of craft spirits. It’s produced whiskey and other libations for over 100 years in Statesville. Most of its grains come from local farms.

Iredell County Dining 

While you will find chain restaurants, the real stars are the locally-owned restaurants and watering holes that give Iredell unique flavor. Dig into some classic North Carolina barbecue, followed up with homespun ice cream and farm-to-table dining. 

Downtown Mooresville has a thriving cuisine scene. The town hosts food truck festivals and wine tastings throughout the warmer months. The Festival of Food Trucks starts in June and wraps up in October. It takes place on North Main Street from 5 to 8:30 pm. Eat locally and listen to live music in a fun, night market style atmosphere.

Statesville’s Main Street area has a combination of casual and fine-dining restaurants. Hit up the local coffee shops, ice cream shops, Colombian Bakery, brewing companies, and pizza. 

Twice a year, experience downtown Mooresville Uncorked and Artsy. This spring and fall event highlights local wine bottles and growlers from multiple downtown businesses. Attendees get to dine on light appetizers to the sounds of live music. The festival features local and regional visual artists along the Broad and Main Streets.

Something unique about the Iredell dining and agricultural scene is the proliferation of scuppernong grapes. Picking this variety of muscadine is a popular activity in August and September. Several family-owned vineyards offer grape picking or sell wine made from the sweet grape. 

Iredell County Shopping

Downtown Mooresville is a thriving center with small-town shops, boutique stores, and dining experiences. Here you can browse stores selling everything from one-of-a-kind furniture to fine art. You can spend the entire day browsing handcrafted jewelry and antiques while stopping in at the local craft brewers or locally-owned restaurants. 

Love a good independent store? The Statesville Main Street area has over 25 local shops retailing all kinds of finds. The boutiques include a bridal store, a record store, sports, pottery, boutique fashion, motorsports, and jewelers. 

The Lake Norman Antique Mall covers 27,000 sq ft, with over 200 vendors selling antiques and collectibles. The mall is in Mooresville.

Living in Iredell County, North Carolina

Iredell County puts you right in the sweet spot of North Carolina. Whether you’re drawn to the charm of historic Statesville, the lakeside vibes of Mooresville, or the peaceful countryside, there’s a place here with your name on it. With Lake Norman just around the corner and Charlotte’s buzz nearby, you get the best of both worlds. Plus, with top-notch schools, health care, and career opportunities, Iredell is more than just a place to live—it’s a place to thrive.

Updated September 2024