City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Ruth, NC

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

526
Residents
$48,125
Median income
$122,000
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Ruth - the verdict

Nationally, Ruth 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
18th
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: Ruth, NC

526 people live in Ruth, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Ruth brings in $48,125 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 29.4%. Ruth's housing stock carries a median value of $122,000, and the median resident age is 41.6 years. About 13.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 46.8% 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $925 per month statewide. 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 72.7 out of 100 (High).

Population

526 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$48,125 /yr

Poverty 29.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Ruth compare to other US cities?

Here's how Ruth 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 18% 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

Each percentile compares Ruth 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 Ruth near the bottom of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Ruth ranks #552 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Ruth only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#493 of 700
29th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#552 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#559 of 708
21st percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#63 of 746
92nd percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#563 of 746
24th 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 Ruth's home value compares nationally

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

$122,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Ruth $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 - Ruth, NC Ruth, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ruth, 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 Ruth, NC median $48,125/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%
Ruth, 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 Ruth, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 29.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.8%

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

Population
526
Median Income
$48,125
Median Home Value
$122,000
Median Age
41.6
Poverty Rate
29.4%
Labor force participation
46.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.6%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
330 residents335 residents340 residents345 residents350 residents 202020212022202320242025 332 residents 345 residents ▲ +3.9%
Ruth's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
93.0%
Carpool
3.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
1.1%

Based on 186 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 Ruth 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
72.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Teachey
528 people
Minnesott Beach
529 people
Staley
532 people
Carolina Meadows
536 people
Parkton
515 people
Gloucester
514 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ruth's 526 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Linden, IN
526 people
Sturgeon Lake, MN
526 people
West Valley, NY
526 people
Michie, TN
526 people
Bland, VA
526 people
Las Gaviotas comunidad, PR
526 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ruth's $48,125 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Russian Mission, AK
$48,125 median income
Murfreesboro, AR
$48,125 median income
Snelling, CA
$48,125 median income
Rockvale, CO
$48,125 median income
Rockville, IN
$48,125 median income
Roseland, IN
$48,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ruth, 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 Ruth, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.5% 15.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.7% White 82.5% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 15.6% 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 Ruth 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
Ruth (this city) 526 $48,125
Teachey 528 $49,828
Minnesott Beach 529 $72,344
Staley 532 $61,875
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ruth, NC?

What is the population of Ruth, NC? +

The population of Ruth, NC stands at 526 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Ruth, the typical household earns $48,125 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ruth? +

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

Ruth's median home value sits at $122,000, 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

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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.