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CITY

Kings Mountain

North Carolina · 12,117 residents (2025 est.) · 14.0 sq mi
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Part of the Shelby micropolitan area
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The short version

Kings Mountain is home to 12,039 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 32%. 23.0% of residents live below the federal poverty line. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $204,100, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $49,564, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Kings Mountain

What changed most since 1990

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree9.5% → 17.8% (+8.2 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
  • White share77.4% → 65.5% (−11.9 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Poverty rate17.9% → 23.0% (+5.0 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts

Among the 16 cities and towns in the Shelby area

  • 9th in household income$49,564
  • 7th in share with a bachelor's degree17.8%
  • 5th in home value$204,100
  • 3rd in diversity score62.9
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
12,039
+24%since 2000
from 9,693 in 2000
12,117 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
858 / sq mi
+24%since 2000
from 690 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
37.2
−2%since 2000
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
14.0 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K9K10K11K12K19902000201020202024Kings Mountain
202412K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.8%(814)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.4%(889)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.7%(930)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.7%(690)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.9%(710)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415%(1,801)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.7%(1,162)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.3%(1,234)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.7%(1,768)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.6%(1,038)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.4%(411)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over4.9%(592)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$49,564
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,415 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,980
+69%since 2000
from $15,920 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
32.6%
+14.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
23.0%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.463
+3%since 2010
from 0.449 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade24.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Information17.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance6.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Wholesale trade3.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Public administration1%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.8%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$204,100
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$959
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $411 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
62.1%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 63.0% in 2000
37.9% rent
Vacancy rate
6.3%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.58 people
+3%since 2009
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
13.9%
−15.5 ptssince 2009
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
67.5%
+24.7 ptssince 2009
from 42.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.1
+65%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
45
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic74.2%(7,190)
Black21.4%(2,077)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(139)
Asian1.8%(175)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic65.5%(7,888)
Black25.3%(3,042)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(189)
Asian2.6%(317)
Other5%(603)
Diversity Score
63
+31%since 2009
from 48 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Salvadoran0.4%(46)
Cuban0.3%(37)
Colombian0.3%(33)
Mexican0.3%(32)
Asian origin
Laotian1.5%(176)
Asian Indian1.1%(133)
Filipino0.2%(26)
Ancestry
American18.4%(2,216)
Irish8.6%(1,039)
German7%(846)
English4%(487)
Scottish2.1%(257)
Polish1.4%(171)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(154)
British1%(126)
French0.9%(110)
Welsh0.8%(93)
Italian0.7%(90)
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.3%(31)
Austrian0.2%(24)
Slovak0.2%(21)
Czech0.1%(13)
Russian0.1%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.8%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.4%
+19.6 ptssince 2000
from 68.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.3%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.2 min
+71%since 2000
from 14.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
84.1%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 89.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.7%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.2%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.7%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 12.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2011
from 60.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 65.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.9%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
26.3%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
51.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
3.4%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.2%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.2%
−5.5 ptssince 2012
from 21.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.8%
−9.5 ptssince 2013
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
81.2%
+18.4 ptssince 2017
from 62.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
89.9%
+10.1 ptssince 2020
from 79.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.5%
+4.0 ptssince 2020
from 83.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
96.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2016
from 94.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2016
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married46.5%(2,069)
Married36.9%(1,640)
Widowed5.4%(238)
Divorced11.3%(501)
Women 15+
Never married34.1%(1,691)
Married36.5%(1,808)
Widowed18.4%(913)
Divorced11%(546)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.8%
−9.5 ptssince 2013
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
42.2%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 43.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.2%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
33.2%
+9.1 ptssince 2020
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
57.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 56.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
48.1%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 43.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)17.4%(112)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.7%(133)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era16.6%(107)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War21%(135)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 643 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Kings Mountain, decade by decade

Kings Mountain population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
19908,742$56,565$114,9639.5%44.8
20009,693$57,227$144,09311.8%50.4
201010,296$55,267$143,28216.2%54.4
202011,142$47,192$163,98917.1%62.3
202412,039$49,564$204,10017.8%62.9

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Kings Mountain to nearby cities

KINGS MOUNTAIN VS
Gastonia
Income$64,059+29%
Home value$277,600+36%
Population87,067+619%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KINGS MOUNTAIN VS
Shelby
Income$48,376−2%
Home value$197,200−3%
Population23,309+92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KINGS MOUNTAIN VS
Belmont
Income$94,883+91%
Home value$395,000+94%
Population16,415+35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KINGS MOUNTAIN VS
York
Income$56,176+13%
Home value$198,600−3%
Population10,620−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?

Kings Mountain, North Carolina has about 12,039 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?

The typical household in Kings Mountain, North Carolina earns about $49,564 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kings Mountain, North Carolina expensive?

In Kings Mountain, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $204,100, and the typical rent is about $959 a month.

How educated are people in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?

About 17.8% of adults age 25 and over in Kings Mountain, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?

About 23.0% of people in Kings Mountain, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Kings Mountain, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Kings Mountain, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,297 residents, a change of about 38 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Kings Mountain, North Carolina: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy