The Town FilesCliffside, North Carolina
Community in Rutherford County · population 530 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $51,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 50.9
Cliffside is a community of 530 people in Rutherford County, North Carolina. It ranks easier by car than 99% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 98% of North Carolina towns.
How Cliffside 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
74.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cliffside | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $228,900 |
| Median rent | — | $969 |
| Median household income | $51,438 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 74.3% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cliffside
| People | Cliffside | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 25.6% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 11.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.6% | 89.5% |
Weather in Cliffside
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.4 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 88 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cliffside 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 6.5 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 42 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 Cliffside itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Cliffside
1 public school with 196 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cliffside Elementary School | K-5 | 196 | 15.1 |
Towns near Cliffside
- Caroleen, NC2.7 mi · 560 people · home $137,500
- Ellenboro, NC5.7 mi · 723 people · home $164,400
- Boiling Springs, NC5.7 mi · 4,615 people · home $265,400
- Forest City, NC8.4 mi · 7,377 people · home $160,800
- Chesnee, SC8.9 mi · 829 people · home $103,700
- Kingstown, NC11.4 mi · 656 people · home $92,400
- Spindale, NC11.8 mi · 4,225 people · home $167,400
- Mayo, SC12.3 mi · 1,567 people · home $224,700
Cliffside questions
Is Cliffside, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cliffside scores better for retirees than 15% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 10%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.9).
What is the weather like in Cliffside?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 3.4 inches of snow.
Does Cliffside get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cliffside 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)