CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Spindale

North Carolina · 4,040 residents · 5.41 sq mi

Time machine

VIEWING

COMPARE TO

Part of the Forest City micropolitan area

The short version

Spindale is home to 4,040 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 38.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. Median home value sits at $34,600. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 25%. Median household income is $19,972, under the $30,130 national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 38.9

US median: 33.0

Less educated

7% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 28%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

4,040

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 4,022 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

38.9

+1%vs 2000

vs 38.4 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

5.41 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20244K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.1%(247)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95%(200)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.8%(275)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.7%(269)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.9%(279)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.4%(583)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4411.4%(460)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.5%(465)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410%(403)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7411.3%(457)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 848.4%(338)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.6%(64)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$19,972

+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $23,365 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,910

−28%vs 2000

vs $13,789 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

14.3%

−2.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$34,600

−28%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $62,900 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$291

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $412 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

68.6%

+7.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 61.1% in 2000

31.4% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic72.1%(2,901)

Black24.8%(997)

Hispanic / Latino1.4%(58)

Asian0.5%(22)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic76.7%(3,100)

Black22.8%(922)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(9)

Asian0%(0)

Other0.4%(18)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican5.5%(229)

Central American0.2%(7)

Costa Rican0.2%(7)

South American0.2%(7)

Uruguayan0.2%(7)

Cuban0.1%(4)

Spaniard0.1%(4)

Asian origin

Hmong0.7%(30)

Korean0.3%(12)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.8%(31)

Ancestry

English13.8%(570)

American10.8%(448)

Irish10.7%(444)

Scotch-Irish7%(291)

German6.9%(284)

Scottish4.8%(197)

Italian3.9%(162)

French1.8%(73)

Swedish1.4%(56)

West Indian1.2%(50)

Welsh1.2%(48)

Barbadian1.2%(48)

+ 4 more ancestry groups with data

Greek0.8%(33)

Dutch0.6%(26)

Hungarian0.4%(16)

Haitian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest Scotch-Irish population · Largest German population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

6.9%

−3.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

53.5%

−11.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 64.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.1%

+0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 1.8% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

14.6 min

+25%vs 2000

vs 11.7 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married41.6%(803)

Married35.2%(679)

Widowed5.8%(111)

Divorced17.4%(335)

Women 15+

Never married23.8%(424)

Married37%(660)

Widowed18.6%(332)

Divorced20.5%(366)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

13.2%

+0.6 ptssince 2013

from 12.6% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

37.2%

−3.8 ptssince 2020

from 41.0% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

23.1%

+7.4 ptssince 2020

from 15.7% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

27.1%

+2.7 ptssince 2020

from 24.4% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

22.8%

−3.8 ptssince 2020

from 26.6% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

5.7%

+3.8 ptssince 2020

from 1.9% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

59.3%

+4.9 ptssince 2020

from 54.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.9%

+3.7 ptssince 2020

from 43.2% 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)2.4%(7)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)57.9%(168)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era34.5%(100)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War2.8%(8)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 290 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