City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Sugar Mountain, NC

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

503
Residents
$110,000
Median income
$312,200
Median home
$1,005
Median rent (state)

Sugar Mountain - the verdict

Sugar Mountain ranks in the 83rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

83rd
percentile, household income
67th
percentile, home value
20th
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: Sugar Mountain, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 503 residents in Sugar Mountain, a small town within North Carolina. Sugar Mountain households earn a median of $110,000 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.5%. Typical homes in Sugar Mountain are valued around $312,200, and the median resident age is 59.8 years. About 58.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 49.7% 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,005 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 47.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

503 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$110,000 /yr

Poverty 4.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Sugar Mountain compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 67% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% 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 Sugar 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

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Sugar Mountain's strongest outlier among North Carolina cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Sugar Mountain ranks #50 - the 93rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sugar Mountain only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#47 of 700
93rd percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#471 of 746
36th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#149 of 708
79th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#529 of 746
29th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#50 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.

83rdIncome percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sugar Mountain's home value compares nationally

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

$312,200 33rd percentile more affordable than 33% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sugar 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 - Sugar Mountain, NC Sugar Mountain, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sugar 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 Sugar Mountain, NC median $110,000/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%
Sugar 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 Sugar Mountain, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 58.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.7%

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

Population
503
Median Income
$110,000
Median Home Value
$312,200
Median Age
59.8
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Labor force participation
49.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
58.9%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
370 residents375 residents380 residents385 residents 202020212022202320242025 373 residents 382 residents ▲ +2.4%
Sugar Mountain's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
57.8%
Carpool
23.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
13.9%
Other
2.7%

Based on 223 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 Sugar Mountain sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,005/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
47.5 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Bailey
504 people
Ruffin
501 people
Webster
501 people
Scotch Meadows
506 people
Kingstown
499 people
Hot Springs
494 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sugar Mountain's 503 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Round Valley, AZ
503 people
South Bethany, DE
503 people
Sorento, IL
503 people
Lamont, IA
503 people
Sandersville, MS
503 people
Canton, OK
503 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sugar Mountain's $110,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Acton, CA
$110,000 median income
New Strawn, KS
$110,000 median income
Chaska, MN
$110,000 median income
Waverly, NE
$110,000 median income
Six Mile, SC
$110,000 median income
Post Oak Bend, TX
$110,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sugar 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 Sugar Mountain, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.3% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.8% White 92.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 6.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 0.8% 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 Sugar 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
Sugar Mountain (this city) 503 $110,000
Bailey 504 $48,929
Ruffin 501 N/A
Webster 501 $54,444
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sugar Mountain, NC?

What is the population of Sugar Mountain, NC? +

Sugar Mountain, NC counts 503 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Sugar Mountain, the typical household earns $110,000 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sugar Mountain? +

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

Sugar Mountain's median home value sits at $312,200, 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.