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Sawmills

North Carolinatown

Photograph of Sawmills
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Sawmills

Total population

5,042

Median home value

$219,600

12.7%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$71,067

Sawmills$71k
National$74k
Elevation380 m
Land area17.16 km²
Weather64°F · Mostly Clear
Coordinates35.82°, -81.48°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

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City facts

Elevation
380 m
Area
17.16 km²
Official website
townofsawmills.com

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Sawmills is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Sawmills had a population of 5,020. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named after the sawmills that were set up in the community, due to the timber industry that formerly predominated in the area during its early history.

Read more on Wikipedia

History & geography

History

The community of Sawmills began in the late 1800s. The name "Sawmills" originates from the sawmills that were set up in the area due to the timber industry. The railroad system that ran through Caldwell County is one of the main reasons for the sawmills to locate in what would become the community of Sawmills. Sawmills was incorporated as a town in 1988. The nearby towns of Granite Falls and Hudson vying for potential business property in the area, is what led the Sawmills community to vote for incorporation.

Geography

Sawmills is located in southern Caldwell County, bordered by Hudson to the north and Granite Falls to the east. Lake Rhodhiss borders the town to the south. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Sawmills has a total area of , of which , or 0.09%, is water. Sawmills Veterans Park is located on Lake Rhodhiss, providing trails and recreational facilities such as baseball fields, a soccer field, playground, boat launch area, and an 18-hole disc golf course.

Read full article on Wikipedia

Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).

Demographics & economy

Median age
38.8
Median home value
$219,600
Housing units
2,370
Poverty rate
9.9%
Unemployment
8%

Race & ethnicity

White
94.3%
Black
1.2%
Asian
0%
Hispanic
2.9%

Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

Geography

Latitude
35.8176
Longitude
-81.4763
Water area
0.01 mi²
View on OpenStreetMap

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Climate

Current forecast

Overnight
64°F
Mostly Clear
Thursday
90°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Thursday Night
68°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Fog
Friday
90°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Friday Night
67°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Saturday
82°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Forecast for Sawmills, NC from NOAA NWS API.

Air quality

Industrial & pollution facilities

Natural hazard risk

Health (adults)

High blood pressure
34.2%
Diabetes
10.8%
Adult obesity
34%
Binge drinking
16.9%
Adult smoking
19%
No leisure activity
26.9%

Age-adjusted prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES (latest release).

Walkability

Amenities nearby

Wildlife & biodiversity

Observations (last 5 yrs, 10 mi)
60,773
Distinct species (top 10)
10

Most-observed species

  • Northern Cardinal
    Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    2,690
  • Carolina Wren
    Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
    2,200
  • Carolina Chickadee
    Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
    2,106
  • Tufted Titmouse
    Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
    2,032
  • American Crow
    Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
    1,835
  • Eastern Bluebird
    Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    1,729
  • Blue Jay
    Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    1,627
  • Mourning Dove
    Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    1,574

Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Schools

Total
21
Elementary
11
Middle
4
High
6
Other
0

Largest nearby schools

  • South Caldwell High
    High · Hudson · 1,317 students · 15.5:1 ratio
  • Hibriten High
    High · Lenoir · 843 students · 16.2:1 ratio
  • West Caldwell High
    High · Lenoir · 753 students · 16:1 ratio
  • Hudson Elementary
    Elementary · Hudson · 654 students · 14.9:1 ratio
  • Granite Falls Elementary
    Elementary · Granite Falls · 582 students · 15.3:1 ratio
  • Hudson Middle
    Middle · Hudson · 581 students · 17.6:1 ratio
  • Granite Falls Middle
    Middle · Granite Falls · 537 students · 15.8:1 ratio
  • William Lenoir Middle
    Middle · Lenoir · 509 students · 13.8:1 ratio

Public K–12 schools within ~10 mi from Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES Common Core of Data, 2022).

Earthquake history

Quakes ≥ 2.5 (25 yrs, 62 mi)
25
Largest magnitude
5.1
Largest event
2020-08-09

Most recent

Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).

Photos

Sights & places nearby

Notable people from here

Nearby places in North Carolina

Browse all places in North Carolina →

Geography & sun

Avg solar (kWh/m²/day)
4.44
Annual solar (kWh/m²)
1,621

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Nearby airports

Public attention

Wikipedia views (last 30 days)
115
Avg daily Wikipedia views
4
Attention level
Obscure

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Sawmills

Marx Industries, inc., Sawmills, North Carolina
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. · 2003
NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 99-0260-2906
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Staff · 2013
Thickness variation of hardwood lumber produced in 1963 by circular sawmills in North Carolina
Thickness variation of hardwood lumber produced in 1963 by circular sawmills in North Carolina
Milton Applefield
The portable band sawmill and selective logging in the loblolly pine forests of North Carolina
R. D. Garver · 1932
North Carolina's timber industry
Tony G. Johnson · 1994
Lumbering and wood-working industries in the United States and Canada
Lumbering and wood-working industries in the United States and Canada
Frederick Alexander Leete · 1919
Virginia
Edward Williams · 1844
Carry me back--
Paul G. Rodden · 1980

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

Ground air-quality sensors

Recently spotted species

Asiatic dayflower
Asiatic dayflower
Commelina communis
Seen 2026-09-15
Monarch
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
Seen 2026-09-13
Huron Skipper
Huron Skipper
Atalopedes huron
Seen 2026-09-13
Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
Chauliognathus pensylvanicus
Seen 2026-09-13
American Toad
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
Seen 2026-09-12
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica
Seen 2026-09-12
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
Seen 2026-09-12
River Cooter
River Cooter
Pseudemys concinna
Seen 2026-09-11
Northern Watersnake
Northern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon sipedon
Seen 2026-09-11

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Nearest stream gauge

Events

Gallery

Sources

  • • Wikipedia
  • • US Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates)
  • • NOAA National Weather Service
  • • Wikidata
  • • USGS Earthquake Catalog (global feed)
  • • NCES via Urban Institute Education Data Portal
  • • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
  • • iNaturalist
  • • CDC PLACES
  • • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
  • • Wikipedia Pageviews API
  • • Open Library