Patterson Springs, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 845, Patterson Springs'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

Patterson Springs is a small community located in North Carolina, within Cleveland County. The total population is 845. It ranks as the 494th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Patterson Springs is 34.5 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Patterson Springs is $58,250. This is 20% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 28% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 23.2%. This is 78% 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 4.7%. The median home value is $142,200. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Patterson Springs is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 58.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Patterson Springs is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 8.6%. The Black or African American population (8.6%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 11.3%.

Education

29.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% 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 88.2%. Notably, 17.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Patterson Springs, 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.