The Town FilesGlenwood, North Carolina
Community in McDowell County · population 501 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $120,694
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 46.3
Glenwood is a community of 501 people in McDowell County, North Carolina.
How Glenwood 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
100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Glenwood | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $228,900 |
| Median rent | — | $969 |
| Median household income | $120,694 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Glenwood
| People | Glenwood | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.5% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 9.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.8% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Glenwood
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 56.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.1 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Glenwood since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 7, 1998 about 0.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 10, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 24, 2000.
Severe weather in McDowell County since 1996
McDowell County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 McDowell County
McDowell County had 15,350 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,365 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Glenwood itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Glenwood
- West Marion, NC3.3 mi · 1,226 people · home $161,600
- Marion, NC4.3 mi · 7,717 people · home $163,500
- Nebo, NC7.9 mi · 1,790 people · home $129,800
- Old Fort, NC11.0 mi · 811 people · home $135,900
- Glen Alpine, NC13.8 mi · 1,529 people · home $172,800
- Salem, NC16.9 mi · 2,356 people · home $159,100
- Lake Lure, NC16.9 mi · 1,365 people · home $627,000
- Rutherfordton, NC17.4 mi · 3,640 people · home $288,400
Glenwood questions
Is Glenwood, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Glenwood scores better for retirees than 46% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 66%. 7.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.3).
What is the weather like in Glenwood?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.6 inches of precipitation a year and 7.1 inches of snow.
Does Glenwood get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Glenwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 7, 1998. 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)