The Town FilesCaroleen, North Carolina
Community in Rutherford County · population 560 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 41.6
Caroleen is a community of 560 people in Rutherford County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $137,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for families than 87% of North Carolina towns, quieter than 74% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 74% of North Carolina towns.
How Caroleen ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Caroleen is worth $137,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). 74.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Caroleen | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | — | $969 |
| Median household income | — | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 74.1% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Caroleen
| People | Caroleen | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.3% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 22.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Caroleen
July highs average 88.9°F and January lows 27.3°F. About 52.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.5 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Caroleen since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1989 about 8.0 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 52 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 26, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 6, 2022.
Severe weather in Rutherford County since 1996
Rutherford County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 28, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Rutherford County
Rutherford County had 17,994 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,125 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Caroleen itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Caroleen
- Cliffside, NC2.7 mi · 530 people · home —
- Ellenboro, NC3.8 mi · 723 people · home $164,400
- Forest City, NC5.8 mi · 7,377 people · home $160,800
- Boiling Springs, NC7.5 mi · 4,615 people · home $265,400
- Spindale, NC9.2 mi · 4,225 people · home $167,400
- Chesnee, SC10.2 mi · 829 people · home $103,700
- Rutherfordton, NC11.2 mi · 3,640 people · home $288,400
- Kingstown, NC11.2 mi · 656 people · home $92,400
Caroleen questions
Is Caroleen, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Caroleen scores better for retirees than 47% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 74%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Caroleen?
The median owner-occupied home in Caroleen is valued at $137,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Caroleen?
July highs average 88.9°F and January lows 27.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.1 inches of precipitation a year and 4.5 inches of snow.
Does Caroleen get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Caroleen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1989. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)