Alexander County is a county in North Carolina, United States, in the Brushy Mountains foothills between the Piedmont and the western mountains. It had a population of 36,444 at the 2020 census and covers 264 square miles (683 km2) centred near 35°55′N 81°11′W.
Taylorsville is the county seat and its postal code is 28681. The county has one incorporated town, three census-designated places, and a handful of unincorporated communities. Alexander County sits in the Eastern time zone and is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton combined statistical area.
Towns & Villages in Alexander County
Alexander County has one incorporated town — Taylorsville, the seat — plus three census-designated places (Bethlehem, Hiddenite and Stony Point) and several smaller unincorporated communities that appear on road maps and older county records but have no municipal government of their own (marked "Unincorp." below).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taylorsville | City · seat | 2,320 | 28681 |
| Bethlehem | CDP | 4,491 | — |
| Hiddenite | CDP | 507 | 28636 |
| Stony Point | CDP | 1,146 | 28678 |
| Ellendale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Isenhour Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Liledoun | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Little River | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rocky Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Taylorsville Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vashti | Unincorp. | — | — |
Bethlehem, the largest community on this list, is unincorporated and has never held its own municipal government even though it outnumbers the county seat in population — a common pattern in North Carolina, where CDPs are Census Bureau statistical areas rather than legal towns.
ZIP Codes
- 28681 — Taylorsville (also serves Bethlehem and most of the county’s central and eastern communities)
- 28678 — Stony Point
- 28636 — Hiddenite
Smaller communities such as Ellendale, Little River, Midway and Vashti have no independent ZIP code; mail there is sorted under Taylorsville or Stony Point depending on location.
Geography
Alexander County lies in the foothills where the Piedmont meets the Blue Ridge, with the Brushy Mountains rising across the northern part of the county and the Catawba River forming its southern border. Most of the county is rolling to hilly terrain, drained by tributaries of the Catawba on its way toward Lake Norman further downstream.
The county borders Wilkes County to the north, Iredell County to the east, Catawba County to the south, and Caldwell County to the west.
Demographics
Alexander County had 36,444 residents at the 2020 census, spread across a mostly rural land area of about 260 square miles — a density of roughly 140 people per square mile. Its two largest communities are Bethlehem (4,491) and Taylorsville (2,320), the county seat. Median household income in the county has historically trailed the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting a rural, manufacturing- and agriculture-based economy rather than a metro-adjacent one.
Economy & Local Life
Furniture and textile manufacturing shaped Alexander County’s economy for much of the 20th century, and light manufacturing remains a significant employer alongside agriculture, poultry farming and county government and schools. The Hiddenite community is nationally known among mineral collectors: local mines have produced emerald, hiddenite (a green variety of spodumene named for the town) and other gemstones since the 1880s, and the annual Hiddenite Gem & Mineral Show draws collectors from across the country.
History
Alexander County was formed in 1847 from parts of Iredell, Caldwell and Wilkes counties, and named for William Julius Alexander, a former Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Taylorsville was chosen as the county seat at its founding. In the 1880s, mineralogist William Earl Hidden’s search for diamonds near the community that now bears his name instead turned up a previously unknown mineral, later named hiddenite in his honor, giving the area a lasting identity in the gem-collecting world.
Getting There
US 64, and NC routes 16, 90 and 127 are the county’s main highways, connecting Taylorsville to the surrounding region.
- Hickory — about 15 miles south
- Statesville — about 20 miles east
- Wilkesboro — about 20 miles north
- Charlotte — about 55 miles south
Hickory Regional Airport is roughly a 30-minute drive; Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the nearest major commercial hub, is about an hour away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Alexander County, North Carolina?
It is in the western Piedmont foothills of North Carolina, bordered by Wilkes, Iredell, Catawba and Caldwell counties.
What is the population of Alexander County?
It had a population of 36,444 at the 2020 census.
How big is Alexander County?
It covers 264 square miles (683 km2), most of it land.
What is the county seat of Alexander County?
Taylorsville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Alexander County?
One incorporated town (Taylorsville), three census-designated places (Bethlehem, Hiddenite, Stony Point) and several smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Alexander County?
28681 (Taylorsville), 28678 (Stony Point) and 28636 (Hiddenite).
What is Hiddenite known for?
The community gives its name to hiddenite, a rare green gemstone discovered nearby in the 1880s, and hosts an annual gem and mineral show.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.