City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

High Shoals, NC

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

565
Residents
$50,893
Median income
$145,700
Median home
$1,686
Median rent (state)

High Shoals - the verdict

High Shoals ranks in the 21st percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

21st
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
67th
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: High Shoals, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 565 residents in High Shoals, a small town within North Carolina. High Shoals households earn a median of $50,893 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 16.1%. Home values in High Shoals run a median of $145,700, and the median resident age is 31.7 years. 14.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.7% 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,686 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 84.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

565 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$50,893 /yr

Poverty 16.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does High Shoals compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% 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 High Shoals'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.

21stIncome percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How High Shoals's home value compares nationally

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

$145,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% 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. High Shoals $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 - High Shoals, NC High Shoals, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not High Shoals, 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 High Shoals, NC median $50,893/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%
High Shoals, 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 High Shoals, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.7%

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

Population
565
Median Income
$50,893
Median Home Value
$145,700
Median Age
31.7
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Labor force participation
53.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.6%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
580 residents600 residents620 residents640 residents660 residents 202020212022202320242025 594 residents 637 residents ▲ +7.2%
High Shoals's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.8%
Carpool
14.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
5.9%

Based on 203 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 High Shoals sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,686/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Wade
565 people
Altamahaw
568 people
Conetoe
562 people
Bridgeton
561 people
Woodland
569 people
Newton Grove
574 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to High Shoals's 565 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Galena, AK
565 people
Scotia, CA
565 people
Norwood, CO
565 people
Oretta, LA
565 people
Springfield, LA
565 people
Smithville, MS
565 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to High Shoals's $50,893 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Archer, FL
$50,893 median income
Taneyville, MO
$50,893 median income
Creekside, PA
$50,893 median income
Searcy, AR
$50,896 median income
Bayshore Gardens, FL
$50,896 median income
Fayetteville, TN
$50,890 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - High Shoals, 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 High Shoals, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.2% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.0% White 80.2% Black or African American 8.8% Asian 4.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 5.3% 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 High Shoals 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
High Shoals (this city) 565 $50,893
Wade 565 $67,574
Altamahaw 568 $62,315
Conetoe 562 $38,955
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about High Shoals, NC?

What is the population of High Shoals, NC? +

High Shoals, NC counts 565 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in High Shoals, NC? +

The median household income in High Shoals is $50,893 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in High Shoals? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for High Shoals; 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 High Shoals, NC? +

A typical home in High Shoals is worth $145,700, 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.