City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Fairplains, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fairplains - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,876
Residents
$36,586
Median income
$134,300
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Fairplains - the verdict

Fairplains ranks in the 5th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

5th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
7th
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: Fairplains, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,876 residents in Fairplains, a small town within North Carolina. Fairplains households earn a median of $36,586 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.7%. Fairplains's housing stock carries a median value of $134,300, and the median resident age is 49.0 years. Educational attainment runs 12.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 37.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $925 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 82.6 out of 100 (High).

Population

1,876 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$36,586 /yr

Poverty 20.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Fairplains compare to other US cities?

Where Fairplains sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 5% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fairplains's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

5thIncome percentile

5th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Fairplains's home value compares nationally

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

$134,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Fairplains $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fairplains, NC Fairplains, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fairplains, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fairplains, NC median $36,586/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%
Fairplains, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fairplains, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 37.8%

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

Population
1,876
Median Income
$36,586
Median Home Value
$134,300
Median Age
49.0
Poverty Rate
20.7%
Labor force participation
37.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.8%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
92.3%
Carpool
4.9%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
2.4%

Based on 533 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fairplains sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
82.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Mount Pleasant
1,866 people
Drexel
1,862 people
Hildebran
1,860 people
Bent Creek
1,854 people
Manteo
1,853 people
Jefferson
1,852 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fairplains's 1,876 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lukachukai, AZ
1,876 people
Byron, CA
1,876 people
Chester Center, CT
1,876 people
Thornton, IL
1,876 people
Armada, MI
1,876 people
Bellport, NY
1,876 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fairplains's $36,586 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Atwood, TN
$36,583 median income
Mexia, TX
$36,589 median income
Denning, AR
$36,591 median income
Vienna, MO
$36,579 median income
Ryderwood, WA
$36,579 median income
Kaplan, LA
$36,578 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fairplains, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fairplains, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.6% 6.4% 6.3% 11.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.8% White 75.6% Black or African American 6.4% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.3% Two or more races 11.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fairplains compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fairplains (this city) 1,876 $36,586
Mount Pleasant 1,866 $81,250
Drexel 1,862 $58,824
Hildebran 1,860 $53,125
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fairplains, NC?

What is the population of Fairplains, NC? +

Fairplains, NC counts 1,876 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fairplains, NC? +

Median annual household income in Fairplains runs $36,586, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fairplains? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fairplains; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Fairplains, NC? +

The median home value in Fairplains is $134,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.