Falcon, NC Town Guide: History, Schools, Taxes and Commute

Falcon is a very small town in northeastern Cumberland County, about 18 miles northeast of Fayetteville by I-95, with 324 residents in the 2020 census. NC 82 runs through the center of town and reaches I-95 about 1.5 miles to the northwest. Falcon is best known as a center of the Pentecostal Holiness Church: the denomination's North Carolina Conference is headquartered here, and the town is home to the Falcon Camp Meeting and the Falcon Children's Home.

For newcomers, Falcon offers a quiet, church-centered small town with interstate access north toward Dunn and Raleigh and south to Fayetteville and Fort Bragg.

Falcon at a Glance

Fact	Detail
County	Cumberland, with a small area extending into Sampson County
Incorporated	1913
Population	324 (2020 census); 258 in 2010
ZIP code	28342
Main roads	NC 82, I-95, U.S. 13 (about 3 miles south)
Town Hall	7156 S. West Street; mailing address P.O. Box 112, Falcon, NC 28342; (910) 980-1355
Town Board	Third Monday of each month, 7 p.m.
Mayor	Clifton L. Turpin Jr.

Town Hall hours are posted on the town website and vary by season, so call before you visit.

How Falcon Got Started

The North Carolina Gazetteer places Falcon on Mingo Swamp in northeast Cumberland County. It records that the area was known as Starling's Bridge from as early as 1863 until a post office was established in 1893. The town incorporated in 1913.

Falcon's growth is tied to Julius A. Culbreth, whom historians credit as the town's founder. In 1898 Culbreth built a small eight-sided wooden building for holiness prayer meetings; its shape was meant to recall a revival tent. That building, the Falcon Tabernacle, became home to the Falcon Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1900. On January 30, 1911, it hosted the signing of the merger between the Pentecostal Holiness Church of North Carolina and the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church. The merged body grew into today's International Pentecostal Holiness Church.

The tabernacle was moved to West Street in 1974 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. A larger church built in front of it in 1952 became Culbreth Memorial Pentecostal Holiness Church.

The Falcon Camp Meeting

The Falcon Camp Meeting began in 1900, and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church marked its 125th gathering in August 2024. The meeting was turned over to the North Carolina Conference in 1943 and is still held each summer. Check the North Carolina Conference website for the current year's dates.

Falcon Children's Home

The Falcon Children's Home grew out of the camp meeting and took in its first children in 1909. Now called Falcon Children's Home and Family Services, it is a licensed North Carolina child care agency affiliated with the Pentecostal Holiness Church. It offers residential care, foster care and adoption, transitional living and support for young mothers. Its Harvest Train fundraising tradition dates to the 1940s, when the home was struggling to make ends meet.

The North Carolina Conference Headquarters

The North Carolina Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church has its offices and event spaces at 6712 Church Street, (910) 980-1162. Conference events and the camp meeting bring visitors to a town that otherwise has only a few hundred residents.

Taxes

For 2026 tax bills, Cumberland County's rate is 49.9 cents per $100 of assessed value, and the Town of Falcon adds 35 cents, for a combined 84.9 cents per $100. That is about 10 cents per $100 less than inside Fayetteville and 12 cents more than in Eastover. Our Cumberland County property tax guide explains how county bills work.

Water and Town Services

The Town of Falcon bills water customers directly; its listed water billing line is (877) 885-7968. The town lists a $20 late fee applied on the 21st of the month, a $50 reconnection fee, and a $75 fee for same-day emergency reconnection. Confirm sewer, electric and internet providers for a specific address before you buy or rent.

Schools

Public school students in the Cumberland County part of Falcon attend Cumberland County Schools, and assignment depends on the exact address; use our school enrollment guide to check. Nearby elementary options include District 7 Elementary on Smithfield Road in Wade; see our Wade guide for that community.

Falcon is also home to Falcon Christian Academy, a private pre-K through 12th grade school at 7569 N. West Street that is part of the Falcon Children's Home ministry. Our private schools guide compares it with other private options in the county.

Commuting From Falcon

Destination	Route
Fayetteville	NC 82 to I-95 south, about 18 miles
Fort Bragg	I-95 south to I-295 west around the north side of Fayetteville
Dunn and Godwin	I-95 north or local roads
Raleigh	I-95 north to I-40 west

The Fayetteville Outer Loop (I-295) was completed in 2025, which gives Falcon commuters a direct interstate route to the north and west sides of Fayetteville without driving through downtown. Military families should compare drive times to their unit's gate using our Fort Bragg gates and commute guide.

Things to Do in Falcon

• Town Day. Falcon holds its Town Day each fall, usually over a Friday evening and Saturday at the end of October, with live music, vendors, food, dancers and a baking contest. The town posts each year's dates on its website.
• The Falcon Tabernacle on West Street, visible from the street; it is a church property, so respect services and private events.
• The summer camp meeting at the North Carolina Conference grounds.
• Day trips. Fayetteville's museums and restaurants are a short drive south; start with our things to do in Fayetteville guide.

Is Falcon a Good Fit?

Falcon makes sense if you want a very small, church-centered community with I-95 access and are comfortable driving for groceries, health care and most shopping. It is less practical if you want walkable restaurants, a short commute to the west side of Fort Bragg, or many homes to choose from; with only a few hundred residents, listings in town are scarce. Families comparing small towns near Fayetteville can also read our Eastover guide.

Sources

• Town of Falcon
• Cumberland County Tax Administration: Tax rates
• Falcon, North Carolina (census and geography)
• Falcon Tabernacle
• IPHC: The Falcon Camp Meeting's 125th gathering
• IPHC: Falcon Children's Home
• NC Conference of the IPHC

Details checked October 2026.