Valdese ( ) is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,689 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. One of the largest Waldensian congregations in the United States was founded in the town in the late nineteenth century, now known as the Waldensian Presbyterian Church. The town was settled by immigrants from the Cottian Alps in the Piedmont region of Italy.

History

Settled in 1893 by a group of Waldensians from Northern Italy, the town was incorporated in 1920. The story of the town's founding is told in the outdoor drama From This Day Forward, which has been performed annually in Burke County since 1968.

In addition to Waldensian Presbyterian Church, the Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House and Valdese Elementary School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Valdese News, a newspaper serving Burke County, was published there from 1938 through 1950.

Geography

Valdese is located in eastern Burke County. It is bordered to the east by the town of Rutherford College. The Valdese town limits extend north to Rhodhiss Lake on the Catawba River, then follow the land along the southern side of the lake for to the west.

U.S. Route 70 passes through the town as Main Street, leading west to the center of Morganton, the county seat, and east to Hickory. Interstate 40 runs along the southern border of the town, providing access from exits 111 and 112.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which , or 0.17%, is water.

Demographics

2020 census

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"

|+Valdese racial composition

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

|-

!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 4,097

| 87.37%

|-

!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 77

| 1.64%

|-

!scope="row"| Native American

| 1

| 0.02%

|-

!scope="row"| Asian

| 160

| 3.41%

|-

!scope="row"| Pacific Islander

| 10

| 0.21%

|-

!scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 183

| 3.9%

|-

!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 161

| 3.43%

|}

As of the 2020 census, Valdese had a population of 4,689. The median age was 46.8 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 82.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 78.4 males age 18 and over.

95.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 4.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,950 households in Valdese, including 1,104 family households. Of all households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them, and 32.3% were made up of individuals. About 17.3% of households had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the census

Notable people

  • Hugh Blackwell, member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
  • Bill Cline, CFL player
  • Doug Cline, AFL linebacker for the Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers
  • J. Bazzel Mull, Christian minister and religious broadcaster in East Tennessee
  • Alabama Pitts, professional athlete, convicted felon
  • Stanley Pons, electrochemist
  • Tyler Shatley, NFL offensive guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars
  • George Shuffler, bluegrass musician

Sister city

Valdese has one sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:

  • Torre Pellice, Italy

References

  • Town website