Stanly County is a county in North Carolina, United States, on the eastern bank of the Yadkin–Pee Dee River southeast of Charlotte. It had a population of 62,504 at the 2020 census and covers 404.81 square miles (1,048.5 km2) centred near 35°19′N 80°15′W.
Albemarle is the county seat, and its postal code is 28001. The county has 2 cities, 8 towns, 2 census-designated places and several unincorporated communities. It sits in the Eastern time zone and is part of the Albemarle Micropolitan Statistical Area, itself within the larger Charlotte–Concord combined statistical area.
Towns & Villages in Stanly County
Stanly County has 10 incorporated municipalities — 2 cities and 8 towns — plus 2 census-designated places (CDP) and a scatter of unincorporated communities. The table below covers every place with a verifiable identity; a further set of subdivision-style names carried on some older gazetteers could not be independently confirmed and are omitted (see notes).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle | City · seat | 16,432 | 28001 / 28002 |
| Locust | City | — | 28097 |
| Badin | Town | — | 28009 |
| Misenheimer | Town | — | 28109 |
| New London | Town | — | 28127 |
| Norwood | Town | — | 28128 |
| Oakboro | Town | — | 28129 |
| Red Cross | Town | — | — |
| Richfield | Town | — | 28137 |
| Stanfield | Town | — | 28163 |
| Aquadale | CDP | — | — |
| Millingport | CDP | — | — |
| Big Lick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cottonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Endy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Finger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Frog Pond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lambert | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Palestine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Palmerville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plyler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Porter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tuckertown | Unincorp. | — | — |
Locust straddles the Stanly–Cabarrus county line, with most of its footprint in Stanly. Badin and Misenheimer carry PO Box–only ZIP codes rather than full delivery routes, which is common for very small incorporated towns in this part of the state.
ZIP Codes
- 28001 — Albemarle (also serves most of central Stanly County)
- 28002 — Albemarle (PO Box)
- 28009 — Badin (PO Box)
- 28097 — Locust
- 28109 — Misenheimer (PO Box)
- 28127 — New London
- 28128 — Norwood
- 28129 — Oakboro
- 28137 — Richfield
- 28163 — Stanfield
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Big Lick, Endy and Palmerville share a ZIP code with the nearest larger post office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Stanly County lies in the North Carolina Piedmont, drained by the Yadkin and Pee Dee rivers, which meet at the county’s northeastern edge and form Badin Lake and Lake Tillery along its eastern boundary. The terrain is gently rolling, with the reservoirs providing the county’s main recreational shoreline.
Stanly County borders Rowan County to the north, Davidson County to the northeast (across the Yadkin River), Montgomery County to the east, Richmond County to the southeast, Union County to the south, Anson County to the southwest, and Cabarrus County to the west.
Demographics
Stanly County had 62,504 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 158 people per square mile. Albemarle, the county seat, is by far the largest municipality at 16,432 residents, followed by Locust. Stanly County’s median household income runs below the North Carolina median of $70,804, consistent with its mix of manufacturing, agriculture and small-town retail employment.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing, health care and agriculture anchor the local economy; Stanly Regional Medical Center in Albemarle is one of the county’s larger employers. Stanly Community College, based in Albemarle with a satellite campus, trains much of the local workforce, and Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer is the county’s four-year institution. Badin’s history is tied to the former Alcoa aluminum smelter that once drew power from Badin Lake, though the plant itself has closed.
History
Stanly County was formed in 1841 from Montgomery County and named for John Stanly, a New Bern lawyer and U.S. congressman. Albemarle became the county seat and grew around textile milling in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Badin was built in the early 1900s as a company town for aluminum production, taking advantage of hydroelectric power from the newly dammed Yadkin River.
Getting There
US Highway 52 and NC Highway 24/27 are the county’s main routes, connecting Albemarle to the wider region.
- Charlotte — about 45 miles southwest
- Concord — about 25 miles west
- Salisbury — about 25 miles north
- Southern Pines — about 45 miles southeast
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, roughly an hour’s drive southwest, is the nearest major commercial airport. Stanly County Airport in Albemarle serves general aviation only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Stanly County, North Carolina?
It is in the south-central Piedmont region, on the east bank of the Yadkin–Pee Dee River southeast of Charlotte.
What is the population of Stanly County?
62,504 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Stanly County?
404.81 square miles (1,048.5 km2), of which 395.08 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Stanly County?
Albemarle is the county seat.
How many towns are in Stanly County?
Ten incorporated municipalities: the cities of Albemarle and Locust, and the towns of Badin, Misenheimer, New London, Norwood, Oakboro, Red Cross, Richfield and Stanfield.
What ZIP codes are in Stanly County?
28001 and 28002 (Albemarle), 28009 (Badin), 28097 (Locust), 28109 (Misenheimer), 28127 (New London), 28128 (Norwood), 28129 (Oakboro), 28137 (Richfield) and 28163 (Stanfield).
What was Badin built for?
Badin began as a planned company town around 1913 for an aluminum smelter powered by a new dam on the Yadkin River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.