Spruce Pine, NC

Census Place

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2021 Population

2,332

5% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

45.3

7.09% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

18.7%

17.9% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$44,375

2.33% 1-year decline

2021 Median Property Value

$157,600

1.56% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Spruce Pine, NC had a population of 2.33k people with a median age of 45.3 and a median household income of $44,375. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Spruce Pine, NC grew from 2,221 to 2,332, a 5% increase and its median household income declined from $45,435 to $44,375, a −2.33% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Spruce Pine, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (87.4%), White (Hispanic) (5.7%), Other (Hispanic) (3.13%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.4%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (0.772%).

None of the households in Spruce Pine, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.7% of the residents in Spruce Pine, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Spruce Pine, NC was $157,600, and the homeownership rate was 66.5%.

Most people in Spruce Pine, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Spruce Pine, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina Mitchell County, NC Watauga, Ashe, Yancey, Avery & Mitchell Counties PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Spruce Pine, NC is home to a population of 2.33k people, from which 97.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.95% of Spruce Pine, NC residents were born outside of the country (92 people).

In 2021, there were 15.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.04k people) in Spruce Pine, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 133 White (Hispanic) and 73 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

97.7%

2021 Citizenship

93.1%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.7% of Spruce Pine, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Spruce Pine, NC was 93.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Spruce Pine, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Spruce Pine, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.04k ± 429
White (Hispanic)
133 ± 140
Other (Hispanic)
73 ± 73

8.83%

Hispanic Population

206 people

8.83% of the people in Spruce Pine, NC are hispanic (206 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Spruce Pine, NC as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

3.95%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

92 people

8.19%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

182 people

As of 2021, 3.95% of Spruce Pine, NC residents (92 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Spruce Pine, NC was 8.19%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Spruce Pine, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
34 ± 38
Korea
28 ± 27
Gulf War (2001-)
13 ± 26

Spruce Pine, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.21 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Spruce Pine, NC employs 1.03k people. The largest industries in Spruce Pine, NC are Retail Trade (186 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (163 people), and Manufacturing (159 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($56,786), Manufacturing ($53,375), and Public Administration ($50,056).

Employment

Occupations

1.03k

2021 Value

± 218

9.39%

1 Year growth

± 27.8%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Spruce Pine, NC grew at a rate of 9.39%, from 937 employees to 1.03k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Spruce Pine, NC, are Sales & Related Occupations (158 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (87 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (82 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Spruce Pine, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.03k

2021 Value

± 218

9.39%

1 Year growth

± 27.8%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Spruce Pine, NC grew at a rate of 9.39%, from 937 employees to 1.03k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Spruce Pine, NC, are Retail Trade (186 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (163 people), and Manufacturing (159 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Spruce Pine, NC, though some of these residents may live in Spruce Pine, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$40,938

Median earning men ± $12,277

$28,261

Median earning women ± $7,897

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($53,167), Public Administration ($50,278), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($46,875).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Manufacturing ($80,208), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($43,438), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($31,667).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.881%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Spruce Pine, NC. Showing the available data for North Carolina.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (49.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.881%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.881%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in North Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2021, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.13M), Some college (1.85M), and Bachelors Degree (1.58M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Spruce Pine, NC was $157,600 in 2021, which is 0.644 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $160,100 to $157,600, a 1.56% decrease. The homeownership rate in Spruce Pine, NC is 66.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Spruce Pine, NC have an average commute time of 18.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Spruce Pine, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Property

$157,600

Median Property Value 2021

±$27,373

$688

Median Property Taxes

±$161

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Spruce Pine, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Spruce Pine, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

66.5%

Homeownership

2021

57.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 66.5% of the housing units in Spruce Pine, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Spruce Pine, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9504
Census Tract 9503

The following map shows all of the places in Spruce Pine, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$44,375

Median Household Income

± $13,423

1.04k

Number of Households

± 198

In 2021, the median household income of the 1.04k households in Spruce Pine, NC declined from $44,375 from the previous year's value of $45,435.

The following chart displays the households in Spruce Pine, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Spruce Pine, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.00774% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (75.2%)
Carpooled (12.6%)
Worked At Home (6.34%)

In 2021, 75.2% of workers in Spruce Pine, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.6%) and those who worked at home (6.34%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Spruce Pine, NC have a shorter commute time (18.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.25% of the workforce in Spruce Pine, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Spruce Pine, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Spruce Pine, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Spruce Pine, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

18.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Spruce Pine, NC (422 out of 2.26k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 45 - 54, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Spruce Pine, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.2% of the population of Spruce Pine, NC has health coverage, with 39.7% on employee plans, 24% on Medicaid, 12.1% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in North Carolina was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Mitchell County, NC see 1663 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.24% decrease from the previous year (1667 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1353 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 930 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Mitchell County, NC.

1,663 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mitchell County, NC

Primary care physicians in Mitchell County, NC see an average of 1,663 patients per year. This represents a 0.24% decrease from the previous year (1,667 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mitchell County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.6% under 18 years, 19.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 18% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.8%

Uninsured

39.7%

Employer Coverage

24%

Medicaid

12.1%

Medicare

11.4%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Spruce Pine, NC declined by 49.3% from 23.3% to 11.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Spruce Pine, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.