Spring Lake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hope Mills
Spring Lake
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs32 · Bottom 8%
Growth
38 · Bottom 28%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 44%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs70 · Bottom 34%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Hope Mills | Spring Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,939 | 11,573 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,774 | $51,958 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,051 | $25,899 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,985/sq mi | 490/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $190,600 | $124,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,141 | $1,351 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 57 | 96 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 8.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.0% | 300.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.6" | 44.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 26.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hope Mills
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Spring Lake
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hope Mills
55
Your Score
52
Area Score
Spring Lake
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
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Full profiles: Hope Mills, NC · Spring Lake, NC · How this is calculated: methodology