United States › North Carolina › Sawmills CITY
Sawmills North Carolina · 5,105 residents (2025 est.) · 6.61 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 5,042 people, Sawmills is a city in North Carolina. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Median rent is $730 a month. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $219,600. People stay put here: 94% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,921 in 2000
5,105 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 746 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 5K 5K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sawmills Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $71,067
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,391 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,597 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.373 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 4%
Public administration 3.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$219,600
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$730
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $477 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.8% in 2000
31.3% rent
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.60 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96.4%(4,742)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(116)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.8%(4,730)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(147)
from 4 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 7.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 45.3%(1,030)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.7% 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) 39.6%(67)
Share of the 169 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Sawmills Head to head
Compare Sawmills to nearby cities SAWMILLS VS
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SAWMILLS VS
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SAWMILLS VS
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SAWMILLS VS
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Population 17,849 +250%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sawmills, North Carolina? Sawmills, North Carolina has about 5,042 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sawmills, North Carolina? The typical household in Sawmills, North Carolina earns about $71,067 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sawmills, North Carolina expensive? In Sawmills, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $219,600, and the typical rent is about $730 a month.
How educated are people in Sawmills, North Carolina? About 12.7% of adults age 25 and over in Sawmills, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sawmills, North Carolina? About 9.9% of people in Sawmills, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sawmills, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Sawmills, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,048 residents, a change of about 26 percent over that period.
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