Fallston, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 616, Fallston's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Fallston is a small community located in North Carolina, within Cleveland County. The total population is 616. It ranks as the 549th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fallston is 33.9 years. This is 13% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fallston is $56,250. This is 22% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 29.5%. This is 127% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 0.4%. This is 91% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $88,600. Housing costs are 69% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Fallston is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fallston has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.4% vs 60.0%). The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 80.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fallston, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.