Small-town character and access to Charlotte
The humble community of Marshville sits about 35 miles southeast of Charlotte and 10 miles east of Monroe. “Marshville sits out on Highway 74, which runs from Charlotte to Wilmington,” say Michael Bulvin, a Realtor at Redwood Realty Group and longtime resident of southwestern North Carolina. “And they just developed a bypass that goes around the eastern side of Union County, which made it convenient to live there and work in Charlotte.” That proximity to larger cities, paired with its small-town atmosphere, is the primary appeal of this small community. And the fact that it’s also the birthplace of a country music legend adds a certain sense of character to the place. “It’s a suburb of Monroe and Randy Travis’s hometown,” says Bulvin. Every fall, Marshville hosts the Randy Travis Music Festival, a family-friendly affair featuring live music, street vendors and a car show – and sometimes, the festival’s namesake Grammy Award-winning country and gospel singer makes special appearances.
Ranch-style homes and new builds sit on grassy lots in Marshville
Streets fan out from the center of the community, past farms and patches of forest. Properties commonly feature single-level homes sitting on level lots with grassy lawns. These are often midcentury ranch-style homes with brick exteriors. Recently built modern transitional homes, typically one-and-a-half stories, are located on the outer edge of Marshville. Prices generally range from $200,000 to $400,000; however, fixer-uppers can start at about $60,000 and the rare renovated turnkey property may exceed $600,000. Some land parcels are also for sale.
Students are zoned for Union County Public Schools
Union County Public Schools, rated A on Niche, serves students in the area. Within the community, Marshville Elementary is rated B-plus and East Union Middle is rated B. A few miles west, Forest Hills High is rated B-minus. The Forest Hills football team won the 3A state championship in 2022 and made it to the 2A playoffs in 2024. By the end of 2024, the team’s collective GPA was 3.5 – a testament to the student-athletes’ commitment to academics alongside athletics.
Marshville’s locally owned shops and restaurants
When it comes to dining out, Marshville offers residents plenty of local options from which to choose. El Vallarta serves Mexican cuisine with vegetarian options. Ms. Allie’s Café, named in honor of the owner’s mother, serves breakfast and lunch daily, and dinners three nights a week. Shoppers can get groceries at Food Lion. Marshville is home to a few small businesses where locals can get baked goods, thrifted items, home décor and other specialty items. For those times when retail needs exceed the town’s ability to fill them, the city of Monroe has a larger selection of retailers.
Exercising at Marshville Municipal Park
The only park in the community is Marshville Municipal Park. It features newly installed outdoor fitness equipment and a walking trail that covers almost 2 miles. Residents can also play on the park’s tennis courts and athletic fields or hang out at the skate park and playground. The weather can get hot in North Carolina, and when locals want to stay cool while exercising, they can head to the indoor gyms in Monroe.
Driving through Marshville along Highway 74
Due to the fact that there are no public transportation options in town, Marshville is a car-dependent community. Other than some spots along Highway 74, which runs east-west through Marshville, streets are generally quiet with minimal traffic, though they lack sidewalks for the most part. The nearest hospital, Atrium Health Union, is about 10 miles west down Highway 74. Marshville is about 40 miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a major hub for American Airlines, and from the smaller Concord-Padgett Regional Airport.
