City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Pilot Mountain, NC

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

1,584
Residents
$48,239
Median income
$185,200
Median home
$1,232
Median rent (state)

Pilot Mountain - the verdict

Nationally, Pilot Mountain sits in the 17th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

17th
percentile, household income
38th
percentile, home value
39th
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: Pilot Mountain, NC

Pilot Mountain is a small town in North Carolina, home to 1,584 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $48,239 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.6%. Typical homes in Pilot Mountain are valued around $185,200, and the median resident age is 40.7 years. Educational attainment runs 21.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 60.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 4 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,232 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 39.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

1,584 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$48,239 /yr

Poverty 14.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Pilot Mountain compare to other US cities?

Here's how Pilot Mountain stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 38% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% 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 Pilot Mountain 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

Poverty Rate sits close to the middle of North Carolina's city distribution

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Pilot Mountain ranks #246 - the 66th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Pilot Mountain only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#490 of 700
30th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#252 of 746
62nd percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#379 of 708
46th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#246 of 746
66th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#370 of 746
50th 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.

17thIncome percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Pilot Mountain's home value compares nationally

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

$185,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 62% 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%). 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. Pilot Mountain $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 - Pilot Mountain, NC Pilot Mountain, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Pilot Mountain, 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 Pilot Mountain, NC median $48,239/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%
Pilot Mountain, 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 Pilot Mountain, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.1%

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

Population
1,584
Median Income
$48,239
Median Home Value
$185,200
Median Age
40.7
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Labor force participation
60.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,425 residents1,430 residents1,435 residents1,440 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,434 residents 1,437 residents ▲ +0.2%
Pilot Mountain's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
82.8%
Carpool
10.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
4.9%

Based on 778 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 Pilot Mountain sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,232/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
39.7 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

West Jefferson
1,567 people
Nebo
1,608 people
Stedman
1,613 people
Stanfield
1,554 people
Vander
1,614 people
Hoopers Creek
1,623 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Pilot Mountain's 1,584 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Homer, MI
1,584 people
Helena West Side, MT
1,584 people
Beverly, OH
1,584 people
Holiday Valley, OH
1,584 people
Craigsville, WV
1,584 people
Navarre Beach, FL
1,583 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Pilot Mountain's $48,239 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

North Vernon, IN
$48,235 median income
Adrian, MO
$48,233 median income
Klamath, CA
$48,250 median income
Cambridge, ID
$48,250 median income
Pocahontas, IL
$48,250 median income
Mount Union, IA
$48,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Pilot Mountain, 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 Pilot Mountain, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.3% White 91.2% Black or African American 3.3% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 3.2% 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 Pilot Mountain 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
Pilot Mountain (this city) 1,584 $48,239
West Jefferson 1,567 $54,306
Nebo 1,608 $47,907
Stedman 1,613 $105,491
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Pilot Mountain, NC?

What is the population of Pilot Mountain, NC? +

1,584 people live in Pilot Mountain, NC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Pilot Mountain, NC? +

Median annual household income in Pilot Mountain runs $48,239, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Pilot Mountain? +

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

Homes in Pilot Mountain carry a median value of $185,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.