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
Spring Lake
Fayetteville
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs24 · Bottom 11%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Spring Lake | Fayetteville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,573 | 210,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,958 | $58,407 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,899 | $32,728 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 490/sq mi | 1,422/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $124,000 | $188,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,351 | $1,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 19.8% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 96 | 322 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 300.0% | -68.7% | 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 | 49 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.1 | 30.6 | 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
Spring Lake
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Fayetteville
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.
Spring Lake
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Fayetteville
49
Your Score
46
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Spring Lake, NC · Fayetteville, NC · How this is calculated: methodology