Total population (1990 census): 56919
County seat: Rutherfordton
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 | 36 | 633 | 49952 bu | |
| Sorghum for Grain or Seed | 5 | 54 | 1280 bu | |
| Wheat | 11 | 241 | 11232 bu | |
| Barley | 5 | 121 | 5385 bu | |
| Oats | 5 | 33 | 2355 bu | |
| Grain Legumes | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Soybeans for Beans | 22 | 705 | 15226 bu | |
| Forages | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Total Hay* | 315 | 10419 | 17130 tons, dry | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 17 | 284 | 576 tons, dry | |
| Small Grain Hay | 21 | 239 | 404 tons, dry | |
| Tame Hay | 277 | 9083 | 15104 tons, dry | |
| Wild Hay | 24 | 579 | 836 tons dry | |
| Grass Silage | 7 | 234 | 628 tons, grn | |
| Corn for Silage or Green Chop | 10 | 456 | 6135 tons, grn | |
| Vegetables | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Cantaloups | 6 | 11 | ||
| Cucumbers and Pickles | 3 | 3 | ||
| Okra | 3 | 2 | ||
| Potatoes | 3 | 6 | 160 cwt | |
| Sweetpotatoes | 7 | 16 | 1392 bu | |
| Pumpkins | 9 | 77 | ||
| Sweet Corn | 9 | 27 | ||
| Tomatoes | 4 | 7 | ||
| Watermelons | 6 | 15 | ||
| Fruits and Nuts | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Apples | 7 | 5 | 140 trees | |
| Cherries, Total | 3 | D | 16 trees | |
| Grapes | 4 | 1 | 255 trees | |
| Peaches | 8 | 31 | 2745 trees | |
| Pears | 4 | 2 | 21 trees | |
| Strawberries | 3 | 3 | 1600 lbs | |
| Other Crops | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Cotton | 3 | 341 | 365 bales | |
| Tobacco | 9 | 24 | 36616 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 | 12 | 27174 | 21 | 441 |
| Nursery, Floriculture, Vegetable and Flower Seed Crops | 4 | X | 9 | X |
| Floriculture Crops | 6 | 14798 | D | 78 |
| Bedding/Garden Plants | 4 | 3248 | 2 | 37 |
| Nursery Crops | 5 | D | 11 | D |
*Alfalfa, grass silage, green chops etc.
D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
X=Not applicable.