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Community Information

Location

The Town of Hudson, incorporated in 1905, is within Caldwell County and is nestled in the scenic Appalachian foothills of Western North Carolina. Hudson is located along N.C. Hwy 321 in the southern part of Caldwell County approximately 15 miles north of I-40. Hudson is approximately 70 miles northwest of Charlotte, 85 miles southwest of Winston-Salem and 90 miles northeast of Asheville. The North Carolina ski lodges are located a mere 18 miles north of Hudson in Boone, NC. Hudson has a land area of approximately four square miles and a population of 3,944. North Carolina is blessed with a fine network of interstate and state highways. This makes many of the major cities and resort areas of the Southeast easily accessible to our area.

In an article published in the Reader's Digest, the metropolitan four county service area that includes Hudson was identified as one of the best 10 areas of the Country to raise a family. Also, the late Charles Kuralt of CBS Broadcasting identified the 10 most picturesque places in America. Of these ten places, two are within easy access of Hudson. One, Grandfather Mountain, is only minutes from Hudson and the other, The North Carolina outer Banks, can be reached is less than a day by car.

This quote from Sara Deal, a Hudson resident, sums it up best...."Occasionally, folks to the south across the river will joke that we live in a town that resembles Mayberry.  My reply to them is this:  "Yes, I do -- thank God."  And the joke's on them."                     

Basic Information

  • Incorporated in 1905
  • Located in Caldwell County  - Appalachian Foothills of Western North Carolina
  • Land Area - Approximately 4 square miles
  • Population - 3,801 (NCDS Review as of 8/31/22)

Hudson is located along N.C. Hwy 321 in the southern part of Caldwell County approximately 15 miles north of I-40. Hudson is approximately 70 miles northwest of Charlotte, 85 miles southwest of Winston-Salem and 90 miles northeast of Asheville.

The North Carolina ski lodges are located a mere 18 miles north of Hudson in Boone, NC.

North Carolina is blessed with a fine network of interstate and state highways. This makes many of the major cities and resort areas of the Southeast easily accessible to our area.

In an article published in the Reader's Digest, the metropolitan four county service area that includes Hudson was identified as one of the best 10 areas of the Country to raise a family. Also, the late Charles Kuralt of CBS Broadcasting identified the 10 most picturesque places in America. Of these ten places, two are within easy access of Hudson. One, Grandfather Mountain, is only minutes from Hudson and the other, The North Carolina Outer Banks, can be reached is less than a day by car.

Government

Hudson has a council-manager form of municipal government. The governing board consists of the mayor and six commissioners. Other boards that function in an advisory capacity to local government include the Planning Board, Board Adjustments, and the Recreation Advisory Board. For additional information, please contact Jonathan Greer, Town Manager at (828) 728-8272.

Business, Industry and Schools

Promotion and recruitment of business in Hudson is carried out primarily by the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Commission of Caldwell County. There are approximately 150 businesses in Hudson providing such commodities as food, clothing, jewelry, footwear, furnishings, pharmaceuticals, video and home entertainment systems, hardware, automobiles, and automotive parts and supplies. They also include such services as construction and building repair, automotive repair, medical, insurance, accounting, printing, floral design, cosmetology, and physical fitness. Industries include adhesive tape manufacturer, textile manufacturer, health care products manufacturer, chemical industry, packaging design and production, furniture manufacturer and more. The daytime population of Hudson nears 10,000 with people coming into Hudson to work or attend school.

For additional information, please contact the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce 828 726-0616 or the EDC 828 728-0768.

Communications

Local newspaper that serves the area is the News Topic, published daily except Monday in Lenoir. In addition to the local newspapers, the Hickory Daily Record and the Charlotte Observer are metropolitan dailies circulated in the area.

The facilities for radio station WJRI and KICKS-FM are located in Lenoir. Spectrum cablevision is available in Caldwell County. The system offers a multi-channel service which includes the three major broadcast networks, independents, an educational network, a package of sports, news, music, and children's programming, and four premium pay channels. Also, a local Public Education & Government (PEG) Channel carries broadcast of local interest. The three major broadcast networks and two local independent networks are available without cablevision.

Healthcare

Emergency medical services are provided by the Caldwell County Ambulance Service and the Hudson Fire and Rescue Service. All Caldwell County ambulances are staffed by certified EMT's.

Hudson has several medical doctors, two privately practicing dentists, one optometrist, and two drugstores. Hospital facilities are provided in Lenoir, 7 miles away at Caldwell Memorial Hospital. Hudson is also served by regional medical facilities in neighboring Catawba & Burke County.

Education

The Public Schools of Caldwell County located in Hudson include Hudson Elementary School, enrollment 751; Hudson Middle School, enrollment 669, Caldwell County Early College High School, enrollment 393; Caldwell Career Center Middle College, enrollment 65.  Private schooling is also available in Hudson for grades K-12 at Heritage Christian School. The School has an enrollment of 180 students. Higher education is provided by Caldwell Community College located here in Hudson and has an enrollment of 4,000 students. Appalachian State University has its Teaching Center located on the campus of Caldwell Community College in Hudson.

Cultural

The Hudson Community Development Association is a volunteer citizens group that has sponsored and hosted community events in Hudson since 1968. The Butterfly Saturday Arts & Crafts Show is held the first weekend in May each year. Thousands of folks come to Hudson to enjoy the many craft vendors and artists' performances. Other events sponsored by the Hudson Community Development include the annual March of the Cross, Easter Egg Hunt, The 4th of July Kiddie Kar Parade, the Memorial Day Service, Man & Woman of the Year Banquet, the Community Thanksgiving Service, The Annual Tree Lighting Service, the Christmas Parade, and the New Years Eve Dance and Celebration. HCDA also sponsors, Pickin' in the Park, a summer music concert series featuring guest entertainment. It is held the first Friday of the month during the summer months of June, July, August, and September.

A wide variety of programs take place in the HUB Station Arts & Business Center (The HUB). The HUB stage is home to Hudson Dinner Theater. It is a community theater that has provided productions of musicals and dramas which offer county residents and visitors an opportunity to experience Community Theater at its finest!

Many other public functions are presented at the HUB such as the performance of the U.S. Army Reserve Band concerts held at Christmas and on Memorial Day. Musical concerts from Doc Watson, Hudson area musicians, and others are presented at the HUB as well. The HUB is also available to rent for private functions. Weddings, wedding rehearsals, class reunions, birthday parties, business events, etc. are some of the events that utilize the HUB. It is certainly the center of cultural events for Hudson. The building will seat 250 for dinner and around 600 for a non-dinner event, and boasts of a 1,400 sq stage.

For additional information, please contact the THE HUB 828 726-8871 or the Recreation Center 828 726-6304.

Churches

Hudson has 9 Protestant churches. A Catholic church in located 7 miles away in Lenoir and a Jewish Synagogue is located in Hickory, NC, which is a 20-minute drive from Hudson.