Who is the McDowell County Clerk of Superior Court?

Melissa Holland Adams (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of McDowell County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the McDowell County Register of Deeds?

Lydia Tilley Effler (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of McDowell County, North Carolina.

Who is the McDowell County Sheriff?

Ricky (Buck) Buchanan (Republican) is the Sheriff of McDowell County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who are the McDowell County commissioners?

Lynn Greene (County Commissioner); Tony Brown (County Commissioner); David Walker (County Commissioner); Patrick Ellis (County Commissioner); Trisha Garner (County Commissioner).

Who is on the McDowell County School Board?

Terry Frank (Board of Education Member, Glenwood District); Angela Allen-Helms (Board of Education Member, Marion District); Donnie Suttles (Board of Education Member, Marion District); Greg Barksdale (Board of Education Member, Marion District); Chuck Abernathy (Board of Education Member, Nebo District); Jimmy Allison (Board of Education Member, North Cove District); Derrick McGinnis (Board of Education Member, Old Fort District); Eddie Shuford (Board of Education Member, Pleasant Gardens District); Paul Baker (Board of Education Member, West Marion District).

What is the population of McDowell County?

About 44,817 people, with a median age of 44.3; the median household income is $57,168 and 14.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in McDowell County?

3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 600 people unemployed in a labor force of 18,583, against 3.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in McDowell County?

5 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal and 2 special district governments.

What cities and towns are in McDowell County?

1: Marion. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

McDowell County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in McDowell County: 26 seats on 7 elected bodies. 11 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

McDowell County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Commissioner	Lynn Greene Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner	Tony Brown Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner	David Walker Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner	Patrick Ellis Republican source
County Commissioner	Trisha Garner Republican source

Official website

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Clerk of Superior Court	Melissa Holland Adams Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Register of Deeds	Lydia Tilley Effler Republican source
Sheriff	Ricky (Buck) Buchanan Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

School Board

McDowell County Board of Education

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Board of Education Member, Glenwood District	Terry Frank source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, Marion District	Angela Allen-Helms source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, Marion District	Donnie Suttles Republican source
Board of Education Member, Marion District	Greg Barksdale Republican source
Board of Education Member, Nebo District	Chuck Abernathy source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, North Cove District	Jimmy Allison Republican source
Board of Education Member, Old Fort District	Derrick McGinnis Republican source
Board of Education Member, Pleasant Gardens District	Eddie Shuford source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, West Marion District	Paul Baker Republican source

Cities and towns

Marion · Mayor Steve Little · 6 seats

Special districts

Boards elected by the voters who live in each district.

McDowell Soil and Water Conservation District · 3 seats

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor	Neil Brackett source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor	Daniel Rowe source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor	Bob Yutzy source

How many local governments McDowell County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 5 local governments in McDowell County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships	2	1
School districts (school boards)	0	1
Special districts (elected boards)	2	1

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (2 in McDowell County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in McDowell County

44,817people

44.3median ageU.S.: 38.9

$57,168 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

14.8%below the U.S.: 12.5%

18.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$171,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700

4.1%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

3.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

7.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

11.5%U.S.: 8.4%

39.7%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

20%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.1% · White 85.6% · Black 3.8% · Asian 1.1% · Other or more than one race 2.3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in McDowell County

3.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.8%. North Carolina: 3.1%.

600people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

17,983people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

18,583in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	3.2%	600	17,983	18,583
August 2026	3.7%	677	17,559	18,236
July 2026	4.0%	718	17,202	17,920
June 2026	3.7%	689	17,777	18,466
May 2026	3.7%	685	17,819	18,504
April 2026	3.6%	671	17,955	18,626
March 2026	3.6%	678	18,038	18,716
February 2026	3.9%	733	17,847	18,580
January 2026	4.1%	748	17,659	18,407
December 2025	3.5%	645	17,960	18,605
November 2025	4.2%	778	17,942	18,720
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	3.8%	720	18,117	18,837
August 2025	4.4%	821	17,902	18,723
July 2025	4.5%	822	17,561	18,383
June 2025	4.3%	832	18,353	19,185
May 2025	4.1%	783	18,131	18,914
April 2025	4.1%	784	18,241	19,025
March 2025	4.5%	856	18,057	18,913
February 2025	5.3%	987	17,752	18,739
January 2025	5.4%	1,002	17,709	18,711
December 2024	4.9%	914	17,759	18,673
November 2024	5.8%	1,089	17,607	18,696
October 2024	6.6%	1,272	17,925	19,197

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	4.4%	821	17,975	18,796
2024	4.1%	771	18,227	18,998
2023	3.4%	647	18,626	19,273
2022	3.6%	702	18,571	19,273
2021	4.8%	903	17,909	18,812
2020	7.3%	1,368	17,418	18,786
2019	4.0%	775	18,773	19,548
2018	3.6%	710	18,918	19,628
2017	4.3%	833	18,686	19,519
2016	5.0%	987	18,585	19,572

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. North Carolina's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in McDowell County

128.4 per 100,0002018. North Carolina: 356.2.

2,833.4 per 100,0002018. North Carolina: 2,343.8.

4murders2018, 58 violent crimes in all.

2018 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

By police agency (3)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
McDowell County Sheriff's Office	2025	49	727	37,099
Marion Police Department	2025	17	230	7,492
Old Fort Police Department	2018	0	0	916

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in North Carolina · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.98 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 45,429 people.

90sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

32civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (3), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
McDowell County Sheriff's Office	59	29	37,099
Marion Police Department	28	3	7,492
Old Fort Police Department	3	0	838

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	90	1.98	32	3
2024	88	1.94	33	3
2023	90	2.01	31	3
2022	84	1.86	30	3
2021	87	1.93	29	3
2020	82	1.79	26	3
2019	79	1.74	21	3
2018	71	1.57	25	3
2016	73	1.62	20	3

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the McDowell County Clerk of Superior Court?: Melissa Holland Adams (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of McDowell County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the McDowell County Register of Deeds?: Lydia Tilley Effler (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of McDowell County, North Carolina.
Who is the McDowell County Sheriff?: Ricky (Buck) Buchanan (Republican) is the Sheriff of McDowell County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the McDowell County commissioners?: Lynn Greene (County Commissioner); Tony Brown (County Commissioner); David Walker (County Commissioner); Patrick Ellis (County Commissioner); Trisha Garner (County Commissioner).
Who is on the McDowell County School Board?: Terry Frank (Board of Education Member, Glenwood District); Angela Allen-Helms (Board of Education Member, Marion District); Donnie Suttles (Board of Education Member, Marion District); Greg Barksdale (Board of Education Member, Marion District); Chuck Abernathy (Board of Education Member, Nebo District); Jimmy Allison (Board of Education Member, North Cove District); Derrick McGinnis (Board of Education Member, Old Fort District); Eddie Shuford (Board of Education Member, Pleasant Gardens District); Paul Baker (Board of Education Member, West Marion District).
What is the population of McDowell County?: About 44,817 people, with a median age of 44.3; the median household income is $57,168 and 14.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in McDowell County?: 3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 600 people unemployed in a labor force of 18,583, against 3.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in McDowell County?: 5 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal and 2 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in McDowell County?: 1: Marion. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the NC State Board of Elections' certified results of each seat's last election (2022–2025, and the March 2026 nonpartisan school board elections); officials appointed since then may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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