Jobs, pay and daily life in Spring Lake, 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.
Spring Lake is a city in North Carolina with 11,573 residents. The median household earns $51,958 a year and the median rent is $1,351 a month, which is 31.2% of the median household income. It is part of the Fayetteville, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 131,430 jobs.
How Spring Lake compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Spring Lake is #87 by population, #100 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #99 for remote work (#1 = most), #7 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Cumberland County, is #17 of 100 counties for average pay ($55,785).
Spring Lake has 11,573 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 24 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 490 people per square mile. The median age is 26.1, 33% younger than the state median (26.1 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,351 a month (rent plus utilities), 10% above the state median ($1,351 against $1,228). Over a year that is 31.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so rent here is above that line for the typical household. The median home value is $124,000, which is 2.4 times the median household income ($51,958); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 19.8% of households own their home, 70% below the state average (19.8% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The 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 Cumberland County was 4.0%. 42.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cumberland County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 8.4% walk, 3.3% work from home. 6.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 55% below the state average (6.2% against 13.9%).
25.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 29% below the state share (25.2% against 35.6%). 7.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 15% below the state share (7.7% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 17.7%, 36% above the state rate (17.7% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 41°F (5.0°C). About 1,236 mm (49 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (146 mm) and Jan the driest (67 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: Anderson Creek (7 miles, rent 7% lower); Spout Springs (7 miles, rent 49% higher); Fayetteville (7 miles, rent 7% lower); Hope Mills (15 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Spring Lake; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (496) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideCumberland CountyNorth Carolina rankings
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There are 496 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 whole Fayetteville, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,620 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.6% |
| Construction | 10.0% |
| Retail trade | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.2% |
| Public administration | 6.7% |
| Manufacturing | 5.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.2% |
| Other services | 3.5% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Spring Lake 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 338,545 | $24,445 million | $72,205 | 122,995 | 7,402 | $55,785 | +0.4% | 4.0% | 128,460 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 16,126 | 20.2% | $34,948 | 1.31 |
| Accommodation and food services | 14,526 | 18.2% | $20,289 | 1.30 |
| Health care and social assistance | 13,428 | 16.9% | $49,346 | 0.76 |
| Professional and technical services | 6,550 | 8.2% | $78,030 | 0.77 |
| Manufacturing | 6,046 | 7.6% | $80,777 | 0.60 |
| Construction | 5,504 | 6.9% | $71,107 | 0.85 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5,028 | 6.3% | $50,759 | 0.97 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,698 | 4.6% | $46,924 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,927 | 2.4% | $81,895 | 0.39 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,656 | 2.1% | $74,507 | 0.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,542 | 1.9% | $53,161 | 0.81 |
| Educational services | 1,536 | 1.9% | $46,793 | 0.60 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,016 | 1.3% | $21,995 | 0.49 |
| Information | 693 | 0.9% | $60,701 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 359 | 0.5% | $87,528 | 0.77 |
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 | 72.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 8.4% |
| Work from home | 3.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,958 |
| Income per person | $25,899 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,351 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 31.2% |
| Median home value | $124,000 |
| Homeowners | 19.8% |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.0 |
| 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 | 26.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.2% |
| Born abroad | 7.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 42.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.0 | 41 | 67 |
| Feb | 6.8 | 44 | 82 |
| Mar | 10.9 | 52 | 87 |
| Apr | 16.4 | 62 | 86 |
| May | 21.3 | 70 | 103 |
| Jun | 25.7 | 78 | 127 |
| Jul | 27.3 | 81 | 136 |
| Aug | 26.4 | 80 | 146 |
| Sep | 23.2 | 74 | 136 |
| Oct | 17.4 | 63 | 82 |
| Nov | 11.2 | 52 | 88 |
| Dec | 7.2 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Creek | NC | 7 mi | 13,927 | $87,287 | $1,251 |
| Spout Springs | NC | 7 mi | 11,242 | $92,402 | $2,010 |
| Fayetteville | NC | 7 mi | 210,815 | $58,407 | $1,250 |
| Hope Mills | NC | 15 mi | 17,939 | $65,774 | $1,141 |
| Southern Pines | NC | 23 mi | 16,420 | $88,535 | $1,354 |
| Sanford | NC | 24 mi | 31,478 | $57,586 | $1,052 |
| Pinehurst | NC | 27 mi | 18,256 | $109,802 | $1,664 |
| Fuquay-Varina | NC | 31 mi | 40,485 | $115,497 | $1,720 |
| Holly Springs | NC | 34 mi | 45,248 | $135,578 | $2,021 |
| Apex | NC | 38 mi | 70,630 | $144,135 | $1,902 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,573 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,351 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 31.2% of the median household income.
$51,958 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Cumberland County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.