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Regional Facts & Figures

Newcomer’s Resource Guide

County Burke
~ All area codes are 828 unless otherwise noted
County Seat Morganton
18.36 Square miles
County Area 513.1 Square miles
County Elevation Ranges from 900 to 4,350 feet above sea level.
   
Population (*2006 Estimated N.C. Office of State)
Planning: (www.demog.state.nc.us)
           
Burke County* 88,619        
           
Municipalities*          
Connelly Springs 1,904        
Drexel 1,914        
Glen Alpine 1,120        
Hildebran 1,761        
Morganton 17,310        
Rutherford College 1,302        
Valdese 4,584        
Hickory (section) 81        
Long View (section) 701        
Rhodhiss (section) 498        
           
Projected Population Growth*: 2007 2008 2009 2012 2015
Burke County 89,088 89,989 90,169 91,408 92,533
           
Important Telephone Numbers        
Emergency 911        
Burke County Sheriff 438-5500        
Federal Bureau of Investigation 704-377-9200        
NC Highway Patrol 438-6291 or 466-5500      
Poison Control Center 800-848-6946        
State Bureau of Investigation 294-2226        
U.S. Marshall (Charlotte) 704-344-6234        
           
Fire Departments (non-emergency)        
Morganton (Public Safety) 432-2676        
Valdese 879-2110        
           
Municipalities Administrative Offices        
Connelly Springs 879-2321        
Drexel 437-7421        
Glen Alpine 584-2622        
Hildebran 397-5801        
Morganton 438-5228        
Rhodhiss 396-8400        
Rutherford College 874-0333        
Valdese 879-2116        
           
Police Departments (non-emergency)        
Drexel 437-7421        
Glen Alpine 584-2113        
Morganton 432-2676        
Valdese 879-2104        
           
Burke County Employment (October 2007)        
County Labor Force 41,452        
Unemployment Rate 5.7%        
           
Economic Indicators          
Median Household Income (2003) $34,462.00        
Per Capita Income (2003) $23,401.00        
Gross Retail Sales
(fiscal year July, 2004 - June 2005)
$830,000,000.00        
           
Economic Data/Statistics:          
www.ers.usda.gov/data          
www.census.gov          
www.wpcog.org          
           
Cost of Living Information:          
www.datamasters.com
(Comparison between cities)
         
www.bls.gov          
           
Government          
Burke County          
Board of Elections 433-1703        
Building Inspections 438-5420        
Clerk of Court 432-2805        
Economic Development 439-4359        
Health Department 439-4400        
Planning and Zoning 439-4362        
Register of Deeds 438-5450        
Tax Office 438-5400        
License Plates/Tag Agency 437-4505        
North Carolina Driver’s License Bureau 438-6294        
           
Post Offices:          
Morganton 437-3484        
Valdese 874-2812        
Glen Alpine 584-0628        
Connelly Springs 874-0784        
Hildebran 397-6573        
Icard 397-5071        
Rutherford College 874-0048        
           
School Board          
Burke County Public Schools 439-4312        
           
Social Security          
Social Security Commission 328-3609        
           
Taxes (Effective July 1, 2006)          
Property Tax (County) .52 cents per $100.00      
Property Tax (Morganton) .46 cents per $100.00      
Property Tax (Valdese) .40 cents per $100.00      
If inside city/town limits, Burke County taxes and city/town taxes must be paid. For persons living outside city/town limits, only county taxes are paid.
Vehicle Tax (Highway Usage Tax upon purchase or initial State Registration) 3% of wholesale value
           
State Taxes          
Corporate Income Tax 6.9%        
Personal Income Tax (marginal rates
based on filing status and income)
6%        
           
Retail Sales Tax          
Retail Sales General Rate (includes state and local) 6.75%        
Food for Home Consumption
Sales Tax (local rate)
2%        
           
Communications          
Newspapers          
The Morganton News Herald 437-2161        
The Charlotte Observer/Catawba
Valley Neighbors
324-0055        
Hickory Daily Record 322-4510        
           
Health Care          
Dentists          
  General 22        
  Specialty 5        
Hospitals (General) 2        
Total Hospital Beds 335        
Mental Health Treatment Facilities 3        
  (8 Private)        
Nursing Homes/
Long-Term Care Facilities
7        
Physicians 240        
Substance Treatment Facilities 7        
           
Utilities          
Cable Television          
CoMPAS (City of Morganton) 438-5353        
Charter Communications (866) 472-2200        
           
Electricity          
Duke Power Company 437-4611        
Rutherford EMC 584-1410        
City of Morganton Electric Company 438-5277        
           
Gas          
Piedmont Natural Gas Company (800) 752-7504        
           
Water and Sewer          
Distributed by the Cities of Morganton and Valdese or applicable municipality  
           
City of Morganton 437-8863        
Burke County Public Works 439-4391        
Town of Valdese 879-2120        
           
Solid Waste Disposal          
GDS, Inc. (Residential, Commercial, Industrial) 437-7940        
Blue Ridge Garbage (Commercial & Industrial) 438-1799        
           
Telephone          
AT & T North Carolina 1-888-757-6500        
(When calling from a AT & T telephone number inside North Carolina) (When calling from a cellular or wireless phone, or outside NC, or outside AT &T territory). 1-800-767-2355        
Sprint 811        
(within local service area) or 828-328-0200        
           
Transportation          
Air          
Charlotte Douglas
International Airport
(704) 359-4027        
Hickory Regional Airport 323-7408        
Foothills Regional Airport Authority(5500 ft. runway/all services) 757-0099        
           
Bus          
Burke County Transit Authority 438-0867        
Greyhound (Gastonia) 704-865-1661        
           
Major Thoroughfares          
Interstate 40 East/West
Interstate 77 North/South
(Access within 45 miles)
US Highway 70 East/West
NC Highway 18 North/South
NC Highway 64 East/West
NC Highway 181 North/South
         
           
Climate          
Mean Temperature 57.83º F        
Winter temperatures averaging 40-50º F and summer temperatures in the 70º’s and 80º’s
Average annual precipitation: 50.4" (approximately 8" snow)
           
Recreation          
Bowling Alleys 1        
Minor League Baseball Teams 1        
(Hickory)
Country Clubs
2        
Golf Courses 3        
Marinas 3        
Movie Theater Screens 7        
Parks 21        
State Parks 2        
           
Community Facilities          
Churches 230        
Motels/Inns/B&B’s 12        
Number of Rooms 753        
Libraries 3        

Register to Vote
To register to vote, a person must sign a voter declaration affirming that:
     He/she is a U. S. Citizen
     He/she will have been a citizen of Burke County and North Carolina for 30 days before the election.
     He/she will be at least 18 years old by the next general election.
     He/she is not registered nor will vote in any other county or state.
     If he/she is a convicted felon, the citizenship has been restored.
The Burke County Board of Elections Office is located at 201 W. Meeting Street. Telephone 828-433-1703.

North Carolina Drivers License
A new resident who intends to operate a motor vehicle in North Carolina must obtain a North Carolina driver’s license within 60 days of establishing a permanent residence. Applications are taken in Burke County at the NCDMV Driver’s License Bureau located at 260 Enola Road. Telephone 828-438-6294.

Tags and Registration for Vehicles
Residents have 30 days to apply for new tags. Applicant must show proof of liability insurance, title (if paid for), and current out of state registration card. If the vehicle title is held by a lien holder (bank) the applicant must furnish the lien holder’s name/address and current out of state registration card. In Burke County, the Morganton License Plate Agency is located at 603 S. College Street. Telephone 828-437-4505