Burke County, North Carolina

Burke County
Motto: 
"All About Advancing"
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°45′N 81°43′W / 35.75°N 81.71°W / 35.75; -81.71
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1777
Named afterThomas Burke
SeatMorganton
Largest communityMorganton
Area
  Total
514.24 sq mi (1,331.9 km2)
  Land506.24 sq mi (1,311.2 km2)
  Water8.00 sq mi (20.7 km2)  1.56%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
87,570
  Estimate 
(2023)
88,338
  Density172.98/sq mi (66.79/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district14th
Websitewww.burkenc.org

Burke County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the state's western mountain region, containing sections of the Blue Ridge Mountains including the Linville Gorge and South Mountains. As of the 2020 census, its population was 87,570. Its county seat is Morganton. Burke County is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.