Prospect, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 907, Prospect'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

Prospect is a small community located in North Carolina, within Robeson County. The total population is 907. It ranks as the 481st most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Prospect is 30.4 years. This is 22% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Prospect is $110,769. This is 53% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 37% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.7%. This is 67% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Prospect, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $100,700. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.9x, Prospect is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 90.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 36% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Prospect is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 2.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 60.0%. The Black or African American population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 20.0%.

Education

34.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 3% 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 95.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Prospect, 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.