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CITY

Southern Pines

North Carolina · 17,357 residents (2025 est.) · 17.7 sq mi
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The short version

With 16,420 people, Southern Pines is a city in North Carolina. This is an unusually credentialed place: 53% of adults have a four-year degree. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 5,502 people. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. Owners hold 57% of the housing stock. That is roughly 22% ahead of the North Carolina median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
53% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 94%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
16,420
+50%since 2000
from 10,918 in 2000
17,357 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
929 / sq mi
+33%since 2009
from 699 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.7
−12%since 2000
from 43.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
17.7 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K11K13K15K17K19902000201020202024Southern Pines
202416K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.7%(1,272)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(956)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.7%(771)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.2%(686)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(916)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.4%(2,532)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.4%(2,035)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.4%(1,714)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 648.1%(1,333)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.9%(1,782)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.9%(1,460)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over5.9%(963)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$88,535
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,822 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$52,904
+111%since 2000
from $25,034 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
54.9%
+23.2 ptssince 2009
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.6%
−5.0 ptssince 2000
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.486
−3%since 2010
from 0.502 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information18.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food3%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance2.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Wholesale trade2.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$451,100
+94%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $127,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,354
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $575 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
56.6%
−6.3 ptssince 2000
from 63.0% in 2000
43.4% rent
Vacancy rate
14.0%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.16 people
−8%since 2009
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.3%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
50.9%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.1
−1%since 2009
from 5.1 in 2009
2009 – 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
84
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic69.8%(7,618)
Black26.5%(2,888)
Hispanic / Latino2%(223)
Asian0.6%(70)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic73.4%(12,058)
Black10.8%(1,766)
Hispanic / Latino7%(1,156)
Asian1.4%(237)
Other7.3%(1,203)
Diversity Score
55
−1%since 2009
from 55 in 2009
2009 – 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
Mexican1.8%(295)
Honduran0.9%(144)
Costa Rican0.9%(140)
Salvadoran0.3%(55)
Spaniard0.1%(16)
Dominican0.1%(11)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.6%(94)
Korean0.4%(58)
Chinese0.3%(50)
Asian Indian0.1%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(22)
Ancestry
German17.2%(2,832)
English17.1%(2,805)
Irish10.8%(1,773)
Italian8.1%(1,329)
Scottish5.2%(855)
Scotch-Irish3.6%(592)
Polish3.4%(558)
American3.2%(524)
French2.6%(434)
British1.4%(234)
Norwegian1%(163)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.9%(154)
Dutch0.8%(126)
Hungarian0.4%(65)
Finnish0.4%(60)
Czech0.3%(54)
Welsh0.3%(53)
Ukrainian0.3%(46)
Portuguese0.2%(37)
Greek0.2%(32)
Slovak0.2%(32)
Austrian0.2%(29)
Croatian0.2%(29)
Canadian0.2%(27)
West Indian0.1%(17)
Jamaican0.1%(17)
Romanian0.1%(16)
Serbian0.1%(14)
Latvian0.1%(9)
Danish0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
52.9%
+17.0 ptssince 2000
from 36.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.8%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 87.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
23.5%
+11.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.8 min
+65%since 2000
from 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.4%
−8.2 ptssince 2009
from 81.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.3%
−6.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.4%
+11.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.9%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.7%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2011
from 54.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.9%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 74.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.6%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
46.6%
+7.4 ptssince 2009
from 39.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.1% in 2009
Female
52.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 52.9% in 2009
Foreign born
4.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
14.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2012
from 17.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.1%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.1%
+11.0 ptssince 2017
from 81.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.0%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 91.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
81.8%
+5.5 ptssince 2020
from 76.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
90.9%
−3.1 ptssince 2016
from 94.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.9%
+2.3 ptssince 2016
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.3%(1,901)
Married56.1%(3,519)
Widowed3.4%(213)
Divorced10.2%(642)
Women 15+
Never married20.4%(1,456)
Married55.4%(3,962)
Widowed14.3%(1,021)
Divorced9.9%(707)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.1%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.2%
+5.6 ptssince 2020
from 41.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.7%
−5.4 ptssince 2020
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
26.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.3%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.1%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 72.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 38.7% 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)46.4%(792)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)41.1%(701)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era21.2%(362)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(95)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3%(51)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,706 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Southern Pines to nearby cities

SOUTHERN PINES VS
Pinehurst
Income$109,802+24%
Home value$476,600+6%
Population18,670+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTHERN PINES VS
Aberdeen
Income$75,078−15%
Home value$314,900−30%
Population10,066−42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTHERN PINES VS
Spout Springs
Income$92,402+4%
Home value$358,500−21%
Population11,242−35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTHERN PINES VS
Spring Lake
Income$51,958−41%
Home value$124,000−73%
Population11,252−35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Southern Pines, North Carolina?

Southern Pines, North Carolina has about 16,420 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Southern Pines, North Carolina?

The typical household in Southern Pines, North Carolina earns about $88,535 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Southern Pines, North Carolina expensive?

In Southern Pines, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $451,100, and the typical rent is about $1,354 a month.

How educated are people in Southern Pines, North Carolina?

About 52.9% of adults age 25 and over in Southern Pines, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Southern Pines, North Carolina?

About 9.6% of people in Southern Pines, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Southern Pines, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Southern Pines, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 7,291 residents, a change of about 80 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 →