Spring Lake, NC — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Cumberland County · Fayetteville · population 11,530

First-time buyersSmall-town feel
View watchlist →
68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Spring Lake stands

At or near all-time high. rents up 5.5% in the last year.

Median home $262,077
1-year +0.8%
5-yr CAGR +6.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$262k$128k$176k$224k$273k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
67/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,391/mo$0$737$1,475202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent13312780100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.7
Lean buy

At a 15.7 price-to-rent ratio, Spring Lake is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
54 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
74 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
41 · w16%
Rent YoY
82 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
72 · w10%
Long thesis

Spring Lake has held up across the cycle: home values at $262,077 with +6.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Spring Lake's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Spring Lake

Spring Lake is a city in Cumberland County, North Carolina, with an estimated population of 11,530. It anchors the Fayetteville metro area. The median home value in Spring Lake is $262,077 as of 2026-04, up 0.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Spring Lake average $1,391 per month, up 5.5% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Healthy 5-year run: +6.9% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
Hot rental market: rents up 5.5% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

Bear case

Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.
Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Cumberland County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Cumberland County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Spring Lake

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
50° / 30°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
88° / 68°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
213
~58% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
6″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
High
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Spring Lake listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Fayetteville area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$67,500
North Carolina state median
Top industries (state-level)
Banking (Charlotte)Tech (RTP)Manufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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