City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Lake Lure, NC

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

1,488
Residents
$72,813
Median income
$510,300
Median home
$983
Median rent (state)

Lake Lure - the verdict

Lake Lure ranks in the 53rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

53rd
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
18th
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: Lake Lure, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,488 residents in Lake Lure, a small town within North Carolina. The typical household in Lake Lure brings in $72,813 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.8%. Lake Lure's housing stock carries a median value of $510,300, and the median resident age is 61.8 years. About 58.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 42.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 58.5°F with 59.3 inches of precipitation per year and 3.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $983 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 27.0 minutes, with 56.5% driving alone and 29.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 36.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

1,488 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$72,813 /yr

Poverty 5.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Lake Lure compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% 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 Lake Lure 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 Home Value is Lake Lure's strongest outlier among North Carolina cities

Among the 708 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Lake Lure ranks #33 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lake Lure only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#219 of 700
69th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#488 of 746
34th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#33 of 708
95th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#477 of 746
36th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#51 of 746
93rd percentile in North Carolina

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.

53rdIncome percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lake Lure's home value compares nationally

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

$510,300 15th percentile more affordable than 15% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Lake Lure $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 - Lake Lure, NC Lake Lure, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake Lure, 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 Lake Lure, NC median $72,813/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%
Lake Lure, 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 Lake Lure, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 58.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.8%

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

Population
1,488
Median Income
$72,813
Median Home Value
$510,300
Median Age
61.8
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Labor force participation
42.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
58.7%

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.5°F
Annual Precipitation
59.3"
Annual Snowfall
3.1"

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,360 residents1,370 residents1,380 residents1,390 residents1,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,369 residents 1,391 residents ▲ +1.6%
Lake Lure's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.0 minutes
Drive Alone
56.5%
Carpool
3.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.9%
Work from Home
29.1%
Other
5.7%

Based on 577 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 Lake Lure sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$983/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
36.9 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Rose Hill
1,501 people
Saxapahaw
1,501 people
Boonville
1,502 people
Princeville
1,502 people
Millers Creek
1,469 people
Northlakes
1,462 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Lure's 1,488 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Diablo Grande, CA
1,488 people
Olive Hill, KY
1,488 people
North Charleroi, PA
1,488 people
Boyd, TX
1,488 people
Mabscott, WV
1,488 people
Waldoboro, ME
1,487 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Lure's $72,813 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dunnavant, AL
$72,813 median income
Goshen, CA
$72,813 median income
Riley, IN
$72,813 median income
Templeton, IA
$72,813 median income
Canaseraga, NY
$72,813 median income
Crenshaw, PA
$72,813 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake Lure, 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 Lake Lure, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.7% 15.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.7% White 83.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.6% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 15.4% 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 Lake Lure 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
Lake Lure (this city) 1,488 $72,813
Rose Hill 1,501 $44,722
Saxapahaw 1,501 $63,281
Boonville 1,502 $77,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake Lure, NC?

What is the population of Lake Lure, NC? +

1,488 people live in Lake Lure, NC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lake Lure, NC? +

Lake Lure households earn a median of $72,813 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake Lure? +

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

Lake Lure's median home value sits at $510,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lake Lure? +

Lake Lure has an average annual temperature of 58.5°F, 59.3 inches of precipitation, and 3.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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

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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.