Jobs, pay and daily life in Lumberton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lumberton is a city in North Carolina with 18,859 residents. The median household earns $42,877 a year and the median rent is $866 a month, which is 24.2% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Fayetteville, NC (131,430 jobs), about 24 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Lumberton compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Lumberton is #55 by population, #97 for remote work (#1 = most), #94 for household income (#1 = highest), #92 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Robeson County, is #83 of 100 counties for average pay ($45,957).
Lumberton has 18,859 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,035 people per square mile. The median age is 34.6, 12% younger than the state median (34.6 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $866 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($866 against $1,228). Over a year that is 24.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $152,600, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($42,877); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 43.9% of households own their home, 34% below the state average (43.9% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Fayetteville, NC, metropolitan area has 131,430 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,620 a year, 11% below the national median ($45,620 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (14,720 jobs, median $27,970); office and administrative support (14,520 jobs, median $43,520); sales and related (12,440 jobs, median $33,100). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.3 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,260) and business and financial operations ($82,350). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Robeson County was 4.3%. 50.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Robeson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 84.2% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 0.8% walk, 4.1% work from home. 8.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (8.3% against 13.9%).
19.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46% below the state share (19.2% against 35.6%). 8.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 3% below the state share (8.8% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 30.8%, 136% above the state rate (30.8% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 43°F (6.0°C). About 1,280 mm (50 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (160 mm) and Jan the driest (65 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Hope Mills (24 miles, rent 32% higher); Laurinburg (28 miles, rent 11% lower); Fayetteville (31 miles, rent 44% higher); Bennettsville (38 miles, rent 23% lower). Rent differences are against Lumberton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideRobeson CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 4,240 | 1.29 | $30,440 | $22,380 | $43,700 | -14% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 3,890 | 7.19 | $23,430 | $20,110 | $28,930 | -24% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,430 | 1.20 | $83,060 | $63,730 | $123,090 | -15% |
| Cashiers | 3,400 | 1.30 | $27,390 | $21,530 | $34,370 | -17% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,130 | 0.96 | $28,170 | $21,110 | $35,660 | -10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,060 | 1.28 | $35,000 | $29,520 | $49,880 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,470 | 0.99 | $37,500 | $28,880 | $46,800 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,290 | 1.10 | $43,170 | $28,800 | $57,890 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,130 | 1.74 | $37,530 | $28,660 | $44,990 | -11% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 2,030 | 2.21 | $95,620 | $53,410 | $132,040 | +15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,980 | 1.03 | $29,520 | $16,590 | $57,580 | -16% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,890 | 0.86 | $35,130 | $27,900 | $50,370 | -22% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,770 | 0.49 | $29,150 | $22,880 | $36,570 | -19% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,700 | 2.09 | $37,600 | $29,620 | $48,530 | -18% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,610 | 0.86 | $34,230 | $24,610 | $41,700 | -7% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,490 | 0.50 | $96,970 | $46,830 | $195,190 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,490 | 1.27 | $54,350 | $44,950 | $58,940 | -15% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,400 | 0.80 | $49,980 | $39,380 | $65,380 | -15% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 1,280 | 1.24 | $38,760 | $28,740 | $59,580 | -12% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 1,280 | 1.35 | $46,510 | $31,200 | $76,540 | -4% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Fayetteville, NC, about 24 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,620 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.2% |
| Manufacturing | 14.4% |
| Retail trade | 13.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.1% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.7% |
| Construction | 4.5% |
| Other services | 3.6% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lumberton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robeson County | 116,902 | $5,045 million | $43,153 | 38,484 | 2,176 | $45,957 | +1.0% | 4.3% | 43,435 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,501 | 27.8% | $44,144 | 1.36 |
| Manufacturing | 7,283 | 27.0% | $55,556 | 2.30 |
| Retail trade | 4,927 | 18.3% | $32,781 | 1.28 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,604 | 5.9% | $38,526 | 0.71 |
| Construction | 1,199 | 4.4% | $52,905 | 0.59 |
| Wholesale trade | 982 | 3.6% | $58,667 | 0.65 |
| Finance and insurance | 780 | 2.9% | $57,321 | 0.50 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 764 | 2.8% | $50,325 | 0.47 |
| Professional and technical services | 607 | 2.3% | $54,999 | 0.23 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 502 | 1.9% | $42,750 | 0.43 |
| Real estate and rental | 285 | 1.1% | $48,395 | 0.48 |
| Management of companies | 160 | 0.6% | $129,822 | 0.25 |
| Utilities | 158 | 0.6% | $102,659 | 1.08 |
| Information | 120 | 0.4% | $61,280 | 0.17 |
| Educational services | 88 | 0.3% | $40,439 | 0.11 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 84.2% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 4.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,877 |
| Income per person | $24,340 |
| Median gross rent per month | $866 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.2% |
| Median home value | $152,600 |
| Homeowners | 43.9% |
| Poverty rate | 30.8% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 92.0 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $45,620 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 80.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 19.2% |
| Born abroad | 8.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 50.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.0 | 43 | 65 |
| Feb | 7.8 | 46 | 86 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 53 | 87 |
| Apr | 16.9 | 62 | 83 |
| May | 21.7 | 71 | 106 |
| Jun | 25.9 | 79 | 130 |
| Jul | 27.3 | 81 | 140 |
| Aug | 26.5 | 80 | 160 |
| Sep | 23.4 | 74 | 147 |
| Oct | 17.9 | 64 | 92 |
| Nov | 11.9 | 53 | 88 |
| Dec | 8.2 | 47 | 96 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope Mills | NC | 24 mi | 17,939 | $65,774 | $1,141 |
| Laurinburg | NC | 28 mi | 15,087 | $42,170 | $774 |
| Fayetteville | NC | 31 mi | 210,815 | $58,407 | $1,250 |
| Bennettsville | SC | 38 mi | 7,751 | $37,115 | $671 |
| Spring Lake | NC | 38 mi | 11,573 | $51,958 | $1,351 |
| Spout Springs | NC | 44 mi | 11,242 | $92,402 | $2,010 |
| Southern Pines | NC | 45 mi | 16,420 | $88,535 | $1,354 |
| Anderson Creek | NC | 45 mi | 13,927 | $87,287 | $1,251 |
| Pinehurst | NC | 46 mi | 18,256 | $109,802 | $1,664 |
| Florence | SC | 54 mi | 40,408 | $56,143 | $992 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
18,859 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$866 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.2% of the median household income.
$42,877 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Robeson County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.