Southern Pines and Pinehurst receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Southern Pines
Pinehurst
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs80 · Top 7%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs84 · Top 43%
Access
66 · Bottom 10%
vs64 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 26%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Southern Pines | Pinehurst | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,420 | 18,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,535 | $109,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,904 | $64,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 894/sq mi | 1,092/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $451,100 | $476,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,354 | $1,664 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.6% | 85.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.9% | 60.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 147 | 56 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.2% | -36.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.2" | 40.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 60.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.94 | 17.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.6% | 18.7% | 2024-25 school 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
Southern Pines
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Pinehurst
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.
Southern Pines
68
Your Score
71
Area Score
Pinehurst
67
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Southern Pines, NC · Pinehurst, NC · How this is calculated: methodology