City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Spruce Pine, NC

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

2,381
Residents
$47,583
Median income
$202,300
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Spruce Pine - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Spruce Pine lands in the 16th percentile for household income and the 42nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

16th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
42nd
percentile, safety
📝 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: Spruce Pine, NC

North Carolina's Spruce Pine is a small town, with 2,381 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Spruce Pine households earn a median of $47,583 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 12.8%. Typical homes in Spruce Pine are valued around $202,300, and the median resident age is 46.1 years. 20.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Spruce Pine reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1598.9 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 52.5°F with 57.2 inches of precipitation per year.

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 $925 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 24.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

2,381 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$47,583 /yr

Poverty 12.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Spruce Pine compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 16% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 42% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Spruce Pine ranks #52 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Spruce Pine'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.

16thIncome percentile
42ndSafety percentile

16th percentile nationally for median household income · 42nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Spruce Pine's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Spruce Pine's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Spruce Pine's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Spruce Pine's home value compares nationally

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

$202,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Spruce Pine $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 - Spruce Pine, NC Spruce Pine, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Spruce Pine, 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 Spruce Pine, NC median $47,583/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%
Spruce Pine, 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 Spruce Pine, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.3%

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

Population
2,381
Median Income
$47,583
Median Home Value
$202,300
Median Age
46.1
Poverty Rate
12.8%
Labor force participation
52.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1598.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
91.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1507.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
52.5°F
Annual Precipitation
57.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

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 →
2,160 residents2,180 residents2,200 residents2,220 residents2,240 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,188 residents 2,211 residents ▲ +1.1%
Spruce Pine's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.2%
Carpool
15.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
5.9%

Based on 1,041 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 Spruce Pine 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
24.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Taylorsville
2,386 people
Yanceyville
2,376 people
Richlands
2,387 people
Four Oaks
2,372 people
Laurel Park
2,391 people
Calabash
2,397 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Spruce Pine's 2,381 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Adamstown, MD
2,381 people
Maurice, LA
2,382 people
Madelia, MN
2,380 people
Gunter, TX
2,382 people
Fredonia, WI
2,382 people
Westby, WI
2,380 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Spruce Pine's $47,583 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mio, MI
$47,578 median income
Oak Hill-Piney, OK
$47,578 median income
Falls Creek, PA
$47,589 median income
New Waverly, TX
$47,589 median income
Firebaugh, CA
$47,594 median income
Troy, AL
$47,595 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Spruce Pine, 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 Spruce Pine, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.6% 9.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.6% White 84.6% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 9.4% Two or more races 4.7% 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 Spruce Pine 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
Spruce Pine (this city) 2,381 $47,583
Taylorsville 2,386 $48,542
Yanceyville 2,376 $28,662
Richlands 2,387 $61,607
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Spruce Pine, NC?

What is the population of Spruce Pine, NC? +

Spruce Pine, NC has a population of 2,381 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Spruce Pine, NC? +

The median household income in Spruce Pine is $47,583 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Spruce Pine? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Spruce Pine; 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.

Is Spruce Pine, NC safe? +

Spruce Pine has a total crime rate of 1598.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Spruce Pine, NC? +

Homes in Spruce Pine carry a median value of $202,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Spruce Pine? +

Spruce Pine has an average annual temperature of 52.5°F, 57.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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