Total population (1990 census): 75740
County seat: Morganton
CropSELECT
Cereals, Pseudocereals, Oilseeds
Industrial, Fiber
Forages
Vegetables
Small Fruits
Tree Fruits and Nuts
Herb, Aromatic, Medicinal, and Bioactive
| Cereals | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Maize=Corn | 37 | 1223 | 93444 bu | |
| Wheat | 6 | 65 | 3200 bu | |
| Oats | 5 | 49 | 1935 bu | |
| Grain Legumes | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Soybeans for Beans | 7 | 120 | 1990 bu | |
| Forages | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Total Hay* | 201 | 4428 | 7915 tons, dry | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 3 | 16 | 28 tons, dry | |
| Small Grain Hay | 11 | 354 | 424 tons, dry | |
| Tame Hay | 174 | 3635 | 6647 tons, dry | |
| Wild Hay | 14 | 136 | 330 tons dry | |
| Grass Silage | 11 | 287 | 1462 tons, grn | |
| Corn for Silage or Green Chop | 6 | 540 | 10097 tons, grn | |
| Vegetables | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Sweet Corn | 7 | 21 | ||
| Tomatoes | 3 | 1 | ||
| Fruits and Nuts | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Apples | 12 | 61 | 4617 trees | |
| Peaches | 3 | 1 | D | |
| Strawberries | 3 | 1 | D | |
| Other Crops | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Tobacco | 4 | 11 | 14047 lbs | |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops, Cut Christmas Trees Harvested, Mushrooms, and Sod Grown for Sale | Farms | Sq. ft. under glass or other protection | Acres in the open | Sales ($1,000) |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 69 | 107112 | 1670 | 9046 |
| Nursery, Floriculture, Vegetable and Flower Seed Crops | 17 | X | 540 | X |
| Floriculture Crops | 14 | 86512 | 3 | 348 |
| Bedding/Garden Plants | 14 | 44476 | 2 | 144 |
| Potted Flowering Plants | 6 | D | D | 190 |
| Cut Christmas Trees Harvested | 12 | X | 84 | 568 |
| Nursery Crops | 43 | 18000 | 1411 | 7407 |
| Sod Harvested | 3 | X | D | D |
| Other Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 3 | D | D | 3 |
*Alfalfa, grass silage, green chops etc.
D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
X=Not applicable.