Spindale was a classic mill town from its first textile mill, Spencer Mills, in 1916, until its last textile mill, Stonecutter Mills, organized by J. B. Tanner in 1920, which closed in 1999. The town of Spindale was incorporated on August 21, 1923.
Geography
Spindale is located along U.S. Route 221A between Forest City to the southeast and Rutherfordton to the west. U.S. Route 74A passes through the southern part of town. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, all of it land.
Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 4,022 people, 1,662 households, and 1,065 families in the town. The population density was 726.8 people per square mile. There were 1,887 housing units at an average density of 341.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 72.80% White, 24.86% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44%. Of the 1,662 households 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couplesliving together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 33.3% of households were one person and 15.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.87. The age distribution was 22.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males. The median household income was $23,365 and the median family income was $33,583. Males had a median income of $25,504 versus $20,395 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,789. About 12.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
, a noncommercial radio station affiliated with NPR, broadcasts from Isothermal Community College on a frequency of 88.7mhz. WNCW's programming consists of a diverse blend of musical styles. Its eclectic music mix and presence on the World Wide Web attracts listeners well beyond the reach of its coverage area.
