Iredell County

1753 – Rowan County created from a portion of Anson County

1754–1763 – Fort Dobbs (named after Governor Arthur Dobbs) was erected as a defense facility during the French and Indian War (1754–63). Today, the location of Fort Dobbs is a North Carolina State Historic Site.

1761 – Coddle Creek Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Session House and Cemetery established in what became Mooresville

1765 – Centre Presbyterian Church established in what became Mooresville

1773 – William Sharpe creates map of 4th Creek Congregation

1775 – Bethany Presbyterian Church (north of Fourth Creek on Fifth Creek) and Concord Presbyterian Church (west of Fourth Creek) established as offshoots of the Fourth Creek Congregation

1775, August 1 – Rowan County Regiment, North Carolina Militia established; most Iredell residents that saw service while in North Carolina, served in this regiment; for a time in 1775 and 1782 the regiment was divided into 1st and 2nd Rowan County Regiment

1775–1783 – North Carolina contributes 30,000 to 36,000 men during the American Revolutionary War, including the Continental Army, local North Carolina County Regiments of militia, and other State Troops

1776, July 4 – United States Declaration of Independence signing

1777 – State of North Carolina began issuing State Land Grants from land that came from Lord Granville estate in the Granville District

1778, August – Adlai Osborne compiles Tax List of Rowan County to raise money for the upcoming Revolutionary War, including Capt Caldwell's, Capt Nichols', Capt Falls', and Capt Purviance's Districts that would become part of Iredell County in 1788

1780, June 20 – Battle of Ramsour's Mill nearby in what is today Lincolnton, North Carolina, many Rowan County soldiers were killed at this battle

1787 – New Sterling ARP Church established in Buffalo Shoals area that would become New Sterling

1788, November 3 – Iredell County was incorporated in 1788 when it was formed from adjacent Rowan County. It is named for Honorable James Iredell, Sr. (1751–1799), Attorney General of North Carolina during the Revolutionary War, Supreme Court Justice, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1788. Its county seat is Statesville.

1789, November 21 – North Carolina admitted to the Union as the 12th state

1789 – Fourth Creek Congregation location chosen by the legislature as county seat of Iredell County, named Statesville

1790s – McKendree United Methodist Church established in Mooresville

1790 – August 13 – first 26 lots sold in Statesville

1794 – Grassy Knob Baptist Church established near what would become Union Grove in northern Iredell County

1800 – U.S. census shows 11 heads of household, including 68 free white persons and 27 slaves in "States Ville"

1801 – first post office established in Statesville

1805 – Mount Mourne post office established

1819 – second county courthouse built in Statesville

1847 – The only major cession of Iredell territory to another county was that to Alexander County, created in early 1847 from Iredell, Burke, and Wilkes counties.

1854 – fire burns second county courthouse and court house records

1858 – The arrival of the Western North Carolina Railroad in 1858, soon followed by the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Railroad

1861–1865 – American Civil War

1866 – Freedom United Presbyterian Church and Logan Presbyterian Church, first free black churches, established in Statesville

1868, May 1 – former Confederate soldier Tom Dooley hung in Statesville

1891, August 27 – The railway accident on the Bostian Bridge killed 23 people on August 27, 1891, west of Statesville, North Carolina, when a Richmond & Danville Railroad train derailed.

1891 – third U.S. Post Office and County Courthouse built in Statesville

1899 – fourth Iredell County Courthouse built in Statesville

1900s – Industries producing tobacco, liquor, and herbs (Statesville's Wallace Herbarium was one of the largest such facilities in the world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries) were later supplemented by the production of livestock, dairy products, and breeder chickens, of which the county remains a leading producer.

1924 – Ole Time Fiddlers' Convention in Union Grove started by H.P. VanHoy to benefit local school

1954 – cowboy town of Love Valley created by Jeter Andrew Barker

1974, about – National Balloon Rally/Fest in Troutman

The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame in Mooresville (known as "Race City USA")

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 186,693 people and 49,635 families residing in the county. The median age was 41.2 years, 23.0% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 96.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.0 males age 18 and over.

There were 72,706 households in the county, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.3% were married-couple households, 16.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 79,372 housing units, of which 8.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.1% were owner-occupied and 28.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%.

The racial makeup of the county was 74.7% White, 11.6% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.1% from some other race, and 6.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.5% of the population.

68.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 31.9% lived in rural areas.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 159,437 people, and 59,593 households in the county. The population density was 277.8 people per square mile (107.3 people/km2). As of 2013 there were 69,325 housing units at an average density of 90 per square mile (35/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.3% White, 12.3% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 7.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

According to the 2000 census data, there were 47,360 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

As of 2013, the median income for a household in the county was $50,058. Males had a median income of $34,590 versus $24,031 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,348. About 6.2% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Historical populated places

In the 1700s and 1800s, before there were many towns in what became Iredell County, property was identified by stream, rivers, or adjacent landowners. The following is a list of the streams, rivers, and creeks in Iredell County.

(R)--Portions in Rowan County

(D)--Portions in Davie County

(M)--Portions in Mecklenburg County

(A)--Portions in Alexander County

The table below lists towns and post offices (PO) that no longer exist or that were once in Iredell County but are now in another county: