Town · North Carolina
Spring Lake, North Carolina
Spring Lake, town, in Cumberland County, North Carolina. Spring Lake had 11,252 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 11,660 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 11,573 (±41). GEOID 3764180.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
11,252
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 11,660 · ACS 2020-2024: 11,573 ±41
Median household income
$51,958
±$6,554 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$124,000
±$28,923 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,351
±$57 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Spring Lake and what county is it in?
Spring Lake is a town in Cumberland County, North Carolina. It covers 23.6 square miles of land, 494 residents per square mile in 2020.
Spring Lake is in the Fayetteville, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Spring Lake, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 11,252 people lived in Spring Lake on July 1, 2025, down 3.7% since 2020, while North Carolina grew 7.2%. The 2020 Census counted 11,660 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 11,573 (±41).
| Measure | Spring Lake | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,573 ±41 | 338,545 | −546 |
| Households | 4,519 ±243 | 129,758 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.39 ±0.12 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 5,393 ±255 | 143,798 | no clear change |
Spring Lake's population since 2000
From 8,098 in 2000 to 11,252 in 2025: up 38.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Spring Lake as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Spring Lake?
The median resident of Spring Lake is 26.1 years old; 25.2% are under 18 and 7.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 34.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 34.0%. 7.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Spring Lake | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.1 ±1.0 | 32.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.2% ±2.8 pts | 25.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.9% ±1.5 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±2.6 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 17.8% ±3.3 pts | 12.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 34.0% ±4.8 pts | 39.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 34.2% ±4.6 pts | 36.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±0.8 pts | 2.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.0% ±2.8 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.7% ±2.3 pts | 6.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.5% ±2.9 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 21.4% ±3.9 pts | 18.3% | – |
| With a disability | 11.9% ±2.3 pts | 16.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.1% ±2.5 pts | 9.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.1% ±2.2 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.2% ±4.8 pts | 27.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.6% ±2.6 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 68.3% ±4.8 pts | 82.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 18.0% ±4.2 pts | 6.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Spring Lake earn?
Half of Spring Lake's 4,519 households earn less than $51,958 a year (±$6,554), against $61,291 in Cumberland County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $48,685 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Spring Lake | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,958 ±$6,554 | $61,291 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $60,038 ±$4,723 | $80,209 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,899 ±$1,925 | $32,657 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.7% ±3.8 pts | 16.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.6% ±8.4 pts | 22.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.7% ±3.4 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.9% ±1.7 pts | 95.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.0% ±2.6 pts | 91.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Spring Lake?
Owners occupy 19.8% of Spring Lake's occupied homes and renters 80.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $124,000 by its owner (±$28,923). The median renter pays $1,351 a month including utilities, and 38.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Spring Lake | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $124,000 ±$28,923 | $199,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,351 ±$57 | $1,222 | +$81 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.9% ±5.0 pts | 42.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,138 ±$81 | $1,508 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 19.8% ±3.8 pts | 55.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 80.2% ±3.8 pts | 45.0% | – |
| Housing units | 5,393 ±255 | 143,798 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.8% ±1.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 39.7% ±3.7 pts | 64.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.0% ±1.3 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.4% ±2.8 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.3% ±0.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.6% ±2.0 pts | 6.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Spring Lake building?
Builders took permits for 34 new housing units in Spring Lake in 2025 (18 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 11 of 12 months), 3.0 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Spring Lake work and get to work?
72.6% of Spring Lake's workers drive alone and 3.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.4%.
| Measure | Spring Lake | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.2% ±3.6 pts | 64.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±1.8 pts | 7.6% | −6.4 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 72.6% ±5.9 pts | 75.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.8% ±5.1 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 8.4% ±3.2 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.3% ±1.4 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.9 min ±1.2 | 21.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Spring Lake?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Spring Lake, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $43,000 (Tract 35.02) to $66,103 (Tract 34.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 35.01Cumberland County | 3,408 | $46,925 |
| Tract 34.01Cumberland County | 2,465 | $66,103 |
| Tract 36.01Cumberland County | 2,750 | $56,065 |
| Tract 35.02Cumberland County | 1,518 | $43,000 |
| Tract 36.02Cumberland County | 2,138 | $50,966 |
| Tract 9802Cumberland County | 790 | not published |
| Tract 9801Cumberland County | 205 | not published |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Spring Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Spring Lake compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Spring Lake is the 2,948th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 87th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Spring Lake ranks 307th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 87th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 319th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 361st | 443 |
| Median household income | 307th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 359th | 443 |
| Median home value | 401st | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 93rd | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 140th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 226th | 421 |
| Median age | 429th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 442nd | 443 |
| Work from home | 277th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 384th | 439 |
Spring Lake's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Spring Lake with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Spring Lake?
7 of the 57 figures for Spring Lake on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Spring Lake are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Spring Lake.