Jobs, pay and daily life in Southern Pines, 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.
Southern Pines is a city in North Carolina with 16,420 residents. The median household earns $88,535 a year and the median rent is $1,354 a month, which is 18.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 42,900 jobs.
How Southern Pines compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Southern Pines is #65 by population, #83 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #26 for college degrees (#1 = most), #31 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Moore County, is #27 of 100 counties for average pay ($54,059).
Southern Pines has 16,420 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 894 people per square mile. The median age is 38.7, about the same as the state median (38.7 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,354 a month (rent plus utilities), 10% above the state median ($1,354 against $1,228). Over a year that is 18.4% 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 $451,100, which is 5.1 times the median household income ($88,535); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 56.6% of households own their home, 15% below the state average (56.6% against 66.6%).
The Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC metropolitan area has 42,900 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $42,920 a year, 16% below the national median ($42,920 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (5,570 jobs, median $29,700); office and administrative support (4,780 jobs, median $40,980); healthcare practitioners and technical (4,600 jobs, median $81,520). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.5 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are food preparation and serving related ($29,700). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Moore County was 2.8%. 50.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Moore County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.4% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 0.9% walk, 14.4% work from home. 18.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 36% above the state average (18.8% against 13.9%).
53.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 49% above the state share (53.0% against 35.6%). 4.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 53% below the state share (4.3% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 9.6%, 27% below the state rate (9.6% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 41°F (4.8°C). About 1,180 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (129 mm) and Jan the driest (68 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: Pinehurst (4 miles, rent 23% higher); Spout Springs (21 miles, rent 48% higher); Spring Lake (23 miles, similar rent); Sanford (24 miles, rent 22% lower). Rent differences are against Southern Pines; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideMoore CountyNorth Carolina rankings
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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.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,510 | 1.62 | $81,520 | $66,360 | $100,790 | -16% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,370 | 1.28 | $30,020 | $22,420 | $42,860 | -15% |
| Cashiers | 1,090 | 1.28 | $27,710 | $21,840 | $35,400 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,040 | 1.66 | $34,080 | $16,580 | $61,540 | -3% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 970 | 3.64 | $37,920 | $33,600 | $46,590 | -17% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 950 | 1.17 | $31,210 | $30,640 | $45,670 | -22% |
| Nursing Assistants | 950 | 2.38 | $36,930 | $29,830 | $43,570 | -13% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 880 | 0.82 | $27,200 | $20,960 | $36,680 | -13% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 750 | 2.85 | $35,590 | $28,890 | $43,800 | -9% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 730 | 4.10 | $26,610 | $21,210 | $33,840 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 670 | 0.86 | $33,150 | $28,590 | $43,270 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 670 | 0.94 | $34,590 | $29,210 | $49,780 | -23% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 670 | 1.73 | $35,690 | $27,410 | $43,620 | -5% |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 640 | 5.81 | $23,190 | $18,520 | $37,520 | -28% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 570 | 2.42 | $29,700 | $26,840 | $36,710 | -16% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 560 | 0.47 | $28,850 | $23,930 | $37,350 | -19% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 530 | 1.38 | $50,540 | $45,330 | $58,450 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 500 | 0.51 | $94,400 | $47,700 | $204,550 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 490 | 0.73 | $39,250 | $26,340 | $57,600 | -13% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 450 | 1.34 | $44,680 | $29,010 | $61,520 | +1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 500 | 0.51 | $94,400 | $47,700 | $204,550 | -11% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,510 | 1.62 | $81,520 | $66,360 | $100,790 | -16% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 530 | 1.38 | $50,540 | $45,330 | $58,450 | -21% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 970 | 3.64 | $37,920 | $33,600 | $46,590 | -17% |
| Nursing Assistants | 950 | 2.38 | $36,930 | $29,830 | $43,570 | -13% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 670 | 1.73 | $35,690 | $27,410 | $43,620 | -5% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 750 | 2.85 | $35,590 | $28,890 | $43,800 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 670 | 0.94 | $34,590 | $29,210 | $49,780 | -23% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,040 | 1.66 | $34,080 | $16,580 | $61,540 | -3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 670 | 0.86 | $33,150 | $28,590 | $43,270 | -11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 950 | 1.17 | $31,210 | $30,640 | $45,670 | -22% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,370 | 1.28 | $30,020 | $22,420 | $42,860 | -15% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 570 | 2.42 | $29,700 | $26,840 | $36,710 | -16% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 560 | 0.47 | $28,850 | $23,930 | $37,350 | -19% |
| Cashiers | 1,090 | 1.28 | $27,710 | $21,840 | $35,400 | -16% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 880 | 0.82 | $27,200 | $20,960 | $36,680 | -13% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 730 | 4.10 | $26,610 | $21,210 | $33,840 | -14% |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 640 | 5.81 | $23,190 | $18,520 | $37,520 | -28% |
These figures are for the whole Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $42,920 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.7% |
| Retail trade | 18.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.5% |
| Other services | 6.5% |
| Manufacturing | 6.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.5% |
| Public administration | 3.4% |
| Information | 3.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.5% |
| Construction | 2.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Southern Pines 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moore County | 104,876 | $5,743 million | $54,763 | 40,121 | 3,472 | $54,059 | +4.0% | 2.8% | 46,371 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,978 | 28.4% | $68,828 | 1.73 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,226 | 17.7% | $28,402 | 1.71 |
| Retail trade | 5,020 | 14.3% | $34,350 | 1.25 |
| Construction | 1,910 | 5.4% | $63,901 | 0.91 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,861 | 5.3% | $92,454 | 0.67 |
| Manufacturing | 1,764 | 5.0% | $54,575 | 0.54 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,760 | 5.0% | $56,907 | 0.75 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,515 | 4.3% | $46,626 | 1.25 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,334 | 3.8% | $29,339 | 1.98 |
| Educational services | 760 | 2.2% | $42,528 | 0.92 |
| Finance and insurance | 745 | 2.1% | $97,199 | 0.46 |
| Wholesale trade | 706 | 2.0% | $72,002 | 0.45 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 473 | 1.3% | $64,363 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 359 | 1.0% | $57,979 | 0.58 |
| Management of companies | 320 | 0.9% | $99,540 | 0.47 |
| Information | 317 | 0.9% | $82,761 | 0.42 |
| Utilities | 101 | 0.3% | $126,835 | 0.66 |
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 | 73.4% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 0.9% |
| Work from home | 14.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 18.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,535 |
| Income per person | $52,904 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,354 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.4% |
| Median home value | $451,100 |
| Homeowners | 56.6% |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $42,920 |
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 | 38.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 53.0% |
| Born abroad | 4.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 50.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.8 | 41 | 68 |
| Feb | 6.7 | 44 | 79 |
| Mar | 10.8 | 51 | 85 |
| Apr | 16.4 | 62 | 82 |
| May | 21.4 | 71 | 100 |
| Jun | 25.8 | 78 | 121 |
| Jul | 27.4 | 81 | 125 |
| Aug | 26.7 | 80 | 129 |
| Sep | 23.3 | 74 | 126 |
| Oct | 17.3 | 63 | 82 |
| Nov | 11.0 | 52 | 87 |
| Dec | 7.0 | 45 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst | NC | 4 mi | 18,256 | $109,802 | $1,664 |
| Spout Springs | NC | 21 mi | 11,242 | $92,402 | $2,010 |
| Spring Lake | NC | 23 mi | 11,573 | $51,958 | $1,351 |
| Sanford | NC | 24 mi | 31,478 | $57,586 | $1,052 |
| Fayetteville | NC | 25 mi | 210,815 | $58,407 | $1,250 |
| Anderson Creek | NC | 26 mi | 13,927 | $87,287 | $1,251 |
| Hope Mills | NC | 29 mi | 17,939 | $65,774 | $1,141 |
| Laurinburg | NC | 30 mi | 15,087 | $42,170 | $774 |
| Bennettsville | SC | 42 mi | 7,751 | $37,115 | $671 |
| Asheboro | NC | 43 mi | 27,580 | $47,197 | $906 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
16,420 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,354 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.4% of the median household income.
$88,535 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.8% (BLS county, Moore County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.