City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Barbecue, NC

Barbecue's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

5,933
Residents
$80,380
Median income
$199,300
Median home
$1,161
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Barbecue, NC - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Barbecue.

Place dossier plate

Sheet NC-BARBECUE-NC · Barbecue, NC 5,933 pop · income 62nd pct

POP-TOWN · INC-HIGH · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-TOWN 5,933
  • INC-HIGH $80,380
  • COL-BELOW 94.3
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 62nd
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Waterford
  • HOME-LOW $199,300
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Waterford, WI (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Barbecue

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Barbecue on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Barbecue on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 5,933.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $80,380. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Barbecue - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Barbecue lands in the 62nd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

62nd
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Barbecue, NC

Barbecue is a small town in North Carolina, home to 5,933 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Barbecue brings in $80,380 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.8%. Typical homes in Barbecue are valued around $199,300, and the median resident age is 33.2 years. Educational attainment runs 21.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,161 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 66.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Barbecue's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to work and mobility to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Barbecue, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates, local building permits, annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Barbecue?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within North Carolina, the closest population matches are Stokesdale (5,943 residents, $135,389 income); Northchase (5,879 residents, $56,659 income); Hamlet (6,000 residents, $38,500 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Carver, MN (5,935 residents); Bangor Base, WA (5,931 residents); Larose, LA (5,937 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 2

What does the journey to work look like in Barbecue?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 91.6%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Compare commute patterns →

3. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Barbecue?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.

The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 2.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 5.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

5,933 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$80,380 /yr

Above median income · poverty 5.8% (Below-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

City profile score · Barbecue, NC

58/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living B-
94.3 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Household income C+
$80,380

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate C+
5.8%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share F
21.1%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Barbecue profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Household income, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share. Cost of livingHousehold incomePoverty rateBachelor's+ share 58 C
Barbecue profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 67/100 (B-) · 94.3 index
  • Household income: 60/100 (C+) · $80,380
  • Poverty rate: 60/100 (C+) · 5.8%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 38/100 (F) · 21.1%

How does Barbecue compare to other US cities?

Barbecue measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 62% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 48% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Barbecue against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Barbecue near the bottom of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Barbecue ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Barbecue only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#155 of 700
78th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#333 of 708
53rd percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#477 of 746
36th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#387 of 746
48th percentile in North Carolina
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

62ndIncome percentile
Gauge source note

62nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Barbecue's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$199,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Barbecue $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Barbecue's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.5×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#3,902 of 15,516
More affordable than 75% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#3,524 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 2.5×, Barbecue sits in the affordable band: national rank #3,902 of 15,516 and #3,524 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$80,380 Barbecue, NC median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Barbecue, NC Barbecue, NC's median household income ($80,380) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Barbecue, NC-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Barbecue, NC median $80,380/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Barbecue, NC median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Barbecue, NC.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,933
Median Income
$80,380
Median Home Value
$199,300
Median Age
33.2
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Labor force participation
62.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.1%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
91.6%
Carpool
2.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
3.4%

Based on 2,894 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

North Carolina statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $215

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across North Carolina at $215 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $45 ).

These are North Carolina statewide averages, not a meter reading for Barbecue. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

North Carolina's BEA cost-of-living index is 94.3 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Barbecue is $1,161/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to North Carolina statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 66.7 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a North Carolina statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Barbecue sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Barbecue compares to similar-size North Carolina cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Barbecue (this city) 5,933 $80,380
Stokesdale 5,943 $135,389
Northchase 5,879 $56,659
Hamlet 6,000 $38,500
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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