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Living in
Southern Pines.
About
Life in Southern Pines
This is a town where you'll notice the median age skews older—44.5 years—which shapes everything from the pace of life to weekend activities and community priorities. Housing is reasonably priced compared to national standards, with a median home value around $451,100 and median rent at $1,354 a month, which works given that the median household income sits at $88,535 and the unemployment rate is low at 3.3%. The job market isn't flashy, but it's stable enough that people aren't constantly looking to leave, and you're close enough to larger metros (Sanford is 26 miles northeast, Raleigh is within reasonable driving distance) if you need more specialized work.
Southern Pines at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.6%
Foreign-Born
4.3%
Broadband Internet
92.1%
of households
Population Growth
+11.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.3% foreign-born, most often from Honduras
Who lives in Southern Pines: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Southern Pines, the largest foreign-born group is from Honduras (20.4%), and 4.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
25.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.1%
of households
Married Couples
47.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.16
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 10% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Southern Pines
In Southern Pines, rent runs 10% above the NC average, and home values are 56% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,799
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $451,152 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below NC average
Unemployment in Southern Pines
Unemployment in Moore County, which includes Southern Pines, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
Southern Pines: Moore County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Moore County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Southern Pines Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.8 min avg
How Southern Pines residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Southern Pines, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 32 mi
Fayetteville Regional Airport - Grannis Field (FAY)
Regional airport · few flights168k passengers boarded in 2025
- 59 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 88 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 14% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Southern Pines runs 14% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
375.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,123.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Southern Pines Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
75.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Moore County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Moore County, which includes Southern Pines, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.2M |
| 2024 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $49,000 |
| 2023 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $170,500 |
| 2022 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $931,500 |
| 2021 | 6 | Hail | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $227,000 |
| 2018 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.5M |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Moore County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Montgomery County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Southern Pines) is typically good — 297 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
297
per year
Moderate Days
66
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Montgomery County, NC (30 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Southern Pines has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Hot Days/Year
55
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
62
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 31°F | 3.93" |
| Feb | 56°F | 32°F | 3.09" |
| Mar | 65°F | 40°F | 4.12" |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 3.32" |
| May | 80°F | 57°F | 2.95" |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 4.50" |
| Jul | 90°F | 69°F | 4.72" |
| Aug | 88°F | 67°F | 4.86" |
| Sep | 83°F | 61°F | 5.67" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.38" |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 3.61" |
| Dec | 55°F | 33°F | 3.66" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Southern Pines
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Southern Pines's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Firsthealth Moore Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Pinehurst
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.
Education19.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Southern Pines
Southern Pines's student/teacher ratio is 19.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 52.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Southern Pines
Public · 2-year · 2,539 students · in-state tuition $2,040 · 39% graduate · median earnings $36,323 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 69 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Southern Pines
Southern Pines has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (69 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
69 mi awayMoores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
89 mi awayPublic Libraries in Southern Pines
Southern Pines Public Library
170 W Connecticut Ave, Southern Pines
Cities Near Southern Pines
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Southern Pines?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Southern Pines FAQ
Is Southern Pines, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Southern Pines's median rent is $1,354/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $88,535/year. Median home value is $451,100.
Is Southern Pines, North Carolina safe?⌄
Southern Pines's violent crime rate was 375 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2124 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Southern Pines, North Carolina?⌄
Moore County, which includes Southern Pines, has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Southern Pines, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Southern Pines is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,354/month and median household income is $88,535/year. The median home value is $451,100. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Southern Pines, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Southern Pines is 23 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