About
Life in Kings Mountain
Kings Mountain is a community of 11,472 people in North Carolina. The median household income is $49,564, median rent runs about $959 per month, and median home values are around $204,100. The unemployment rate is 4.4%.
Kings Mountain at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.0%
Foreign-Born
3.4%
Broadband Internet
81.2%
of households
Population Growth
+7.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.4% foreign-born, most often from Laos
Who lives in Kings Mountain: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kings Mountain, the largest foreign-born group is from Laos (45.0%), and 2.1% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.
Under 18
25.2%
of residents
65 and Older
17.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.0%
of households
Married Couples
32.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.58
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% below NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Kings Mountain
In Kings Mountain, rent runs 22% below the NC average, and home values are 29% below the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
67.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,279
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $245,216 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above NC average
Unemployment in Kings Mountain
Unemployment in Cleveland County, which includes Kings Mountain, is 0.6 percentage points higher than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
Kings Mountain: Cleveland County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Cleveland County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Kings Mountain Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute25.2 min avg
How Kings Mountain residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kings Mountain, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 60% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Kings Mountain runs 60% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
527.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,534.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Kings Mountain Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
70.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cleveland County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cleveland County, which includes Kings Mountain, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $24,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.0M |
| 2023 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.6M |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cleveland County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lincoln County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 19 miles from Kings Mountain) is typically good — 217 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
217
per year
Moderate Days
25
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lincoln County, NC (19 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kings Mountain has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
56°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
51
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
60
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 33°F | 3.34" |
| Feb | 58°F | 36°F | 3.28" |
| Mar | 65°F | 42°F | 3.94" |
| Apr | 74°F | 50°F | 3.88" |
| May | 81°F | 58°F | 3.46" |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.21" |
| Jul | 91°F | 70°F | 3.47" |
| Aug | 89°F | 69°F | 3.95" |
| Sep | 83°F | 63°F | 3.75" |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 3.29" |
| Nov | 64°F | 41°F | 3.30" |
| Dec | 56°F | 36°F | 3.44" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kings Mountain
Uninsured
7.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Kings Mountain's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Atrium Health Cleveland
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.4 mi away · Shelby
Caromont Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.4 mi away · Gastonia
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kings Mountain
Kings Mountain's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 17.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
17.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Kings Mountain National Military Park, 7 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kings Mountain
Kings Mountain has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Kings Mountain National Military Park (7 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Kings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
7 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
7 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
27 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
62 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
68 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kings Mountain
Jacob Mauney Memorial Library
100 S Piedmont Ave, Kings Mountain
Cities Near Kings Mountain
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kings Mountain?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kings Mountain FAQ
Is Kings Mountain, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Kings Mountain's median rent is $959/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $49,564/year. Median home value is $204,100.
Is Kings Mountain, North Carolina safe?⌄
Kings Mountain's violent crime rate was 527 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2535 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?⌄
Cleveland County, which includes Kings Mountain, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Kings Mountain is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $959/month and median household income is $49,564/year. The median home value is $204,100. About 68% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kings Mountain, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Kings Mountain is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from