Our Towns

Founded in 1777, Nash County is anchored by Nashville and is home to the towns of Bailey, Castalia, Dortches, Middlesex, Momeyer, Red Oak, Spring Hope, and portions of Rocky Mount, Sharpsburg, and Whitakers. In 2021, the county’s population was 94,910 and growing.

With a unique location at the intersection of several major interstates and highways, Nash County is the ideal business-friendly location. The county offers direct access to Interstate 95 and US Highway 64, allowing a convenient 45-minute trip to the Raleigh-Durham area.

Located on NC Highway 97, Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport features a 7,100-foot runway that can accommodate most aircraft. For businesses that ship products on a larger scale or regularly require travel, the space at the airfield is more than sufficient for inventory and transportation needs.

Nash County is already home to a number of major Class A industries, including:

• The Cheesecake Factory Bakery
• Cummins
• Draka
• Honeywell
• Pfizer
• Universal Leaf

Other companies in the food processing, advanced manufacturing, distribution, and logistics sectors also call Nash County home. Thanks to the unique geography, lower cost of operating, and charming lifestyle, Nash County is a prime candidate for working, playing, and living.

Nashville

Located in the heart of Nash County, Nashville is the county seat and is home to just over 5,000 people. Nashville’s central location and proximity to major roads allow companies to easily distribute products along the east coast and across the country. The town’s industrial parks include the Nashville Business Center, West Nashville Commerce Park, and Pleasant Grove Industrial Park, all of which offer quick access to the Research Triangle Region.

In addition to a good industrial base, Nashville residents enjoy a quintessential small-town living experience thanks to its historic charm. The streets of downtown Nashville are lined with historic homes and buildings, featuring locally-owned stores. Nashville has a rich agriculture heritage with a bustling and supportive small business community.

Rocky Mount

Located on the eastern edge of Nash County, Rocky Mount is the county’s largest city with a population of approximately 55,000 people. Rocky Mount ranks as the 17th largest city in the state of North Carolina and anchors the Rocky Mount Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses up to 5 counties and over 300,000 people.

Recently, Rocky Mount has undergone a revitalization, with several impactful developments. The historic downtown district and riverfront are home to restored and repurposed projects like Rocky Mount Mills and the Imperial Centre for Arts & Sciences. Rocky Mount Mills is an innovative, mixed-use development that includes a mixture of breweries, restaurants, residential lofts, and commercial office spaces. Capitol Broadcasting’s investment in the historic Rocky Mount Mills has been a game changer to revitalizing a historic district and main corridor into downtown.

The city is also home to the Rocky Mount Sports Complex, which covers 143 acres and is one of the largest complexes of its kind on the east coast. Rocky Mount has also benefitted from the DMV headquarters relocation in 2020 and the CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Terminal opening in 2021. For Rocky Mount residents, all of these major projects have not only brought increased opportunity in the job market, but also a higher quality of living. The city is poised for significant economic growth as it conveniently sits at the “center of it all.”

Bailey

Bailey is a quaint town that is home to the Country Doctor Museum, the oldest museum in the United States dedicated to the history of America’s rural healthcare. Bailey is also home to Finch’s Nursery & Pottery. Dan Finch’s work has been featured in museums across the United States.

Castalia

Located in northern Nash County, Castalia features rolling hills and beautiful farmland. Each year, the town hosts a Fourth of July celebration that features live music, an Independence Day parade, and an extravagant fireworks display.

Dortches

Located adjacent to Interstate 95, Dortches is known for its beautiful farmland and for Smith’s Red & White, a family-owned grocery store. Smith’s Red & White has been the center of the town since 1954, and the store is well-known amongst I-95 travelers for its sausage. Smith’s makes over 10,000 pounds of sausage a week and up to 60,000 pounds of sausage around the holidays for their loyal customers.

Middlesex

Middlesex is located on the western edge of Nash County, only 25 minutes from downtown Raleigh. Although Middlesex is primarily an agricultural community, it is ripe with growth opportunities for residential and industrial businesses looking for accessibility to the Research Triangle Region at a much lower cost.

Momeyer

Momeyer is a small town located between Spring Hope and Nashville along US Highway 64. Momeyer is home to Bass Farm Sausage, which has operated for over 60 years and whose products are located in grocery stores across the southeast US.

Red Oak

Located north of Nashville and west of Rocky Mount, Red Oak gets its name from the grove of red oak trees in the area. Formed in 1961, Red Oak offers rural living with easy access to amenities. As one of the newest municipalities, Red Oak has been growing residentially at a steady pace, thanks to residents seeking larger homes and lot sizes.

Sharpsburg

Incorporated in 1883, Sharpsburg is conveniently located on US Highway 301, adjacent to the CSX rail. This tri-county town is partially located in Wilson, Edgecombe, and Nash counties.

Spring Hope

Spring Hope is conveniently located 20 miles east of Raleigh on US Highway 64 and US Highway 581. Incorporated in 1889, Spring Hope surrounds a historic rail depot, featuring beautiful historic buildings, antique shops, and restaurants. Over two dozen homes in the historic downtown district are on the NC Historic Registry. Most notably, Spring Hope is home to the annual Spring Hope Pumpkin Festival each October, featuring the state’s largest pumpkins (usually grown in Nash County) and a weekend full of entertainment.

Whitakers

Located along US Highway 301, Whitakers sits just east of Interstate 95 and north of Rocky Mount. Established as a railroad town around 1840, Whitakers served as a “turnout” for the Wilmington and Weldon line. Following the Civil War, the town experienced a building boom with buildings of various styles appearing along the railroad that splits Nash and Edgecombe counties.

Nash County Towns by Population