Spring Lake’s story
103 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1923Spring Lake is settled
Spring LakeNC
A town of 11,573, settled in 1923. Nearly 81.9% of it is conserved land.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Townofspringlake · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
11,573
−2.5% since 2010
Typical home
$259K
+0.2% in a year
Household income
$52K
median
Median age
26.1
years
Jobs based here
2,735
Balanced
What makes Spring Lake stand out
The 3 things Spring Lake does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#1 most conserved land in NC
46 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
81.9% of the town is conserved land.
$259Ktypical home
Housing
$259K typical home
23% below the NC typical home
Up 0.2% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Spring Lake
Safety
Safer than 9%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade D. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
Get outside
46 miles of trails in Spring Lake
81.9% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
2
Mendoza Park33 acres
3
Spring Lake Park Site 312 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Spring Lake’s report card
Outdoors46 mi#9 for trails in NCHousing$259K23% below the NC typical homeCommute23 miHalf of commuters travel lessSafetyDLess crime than 9% of U.S. townsClimate91°/32°Summer high · winter low · 1″ snowSchoolsC+Beats 36% of NC districtsHealthC+Healthier than 44% of U.S. townsHazards49/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Spring Lake
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Spring Lake is #1 of 276 in NC for “Most conserved land”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Spring Lake’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →82°
Clear
H 83° · L 59°
Local news
All →- Overhills vs Ascend - Girls Varsity Flag Football 09/29/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 17
- Team Highlights: Varsity Girls Volleyball Richmond Senior High School vs. Overhills High School - OverhillsNFHS Network · Sep 17
- Overhills vs Hoke County - Girls Varsity Flag Football 10/02/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 17
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Spring Lake. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
Nearly a third of Spring Lake is conserved land
46 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.
#9for trails in NC
81.9%
conserved · 12,432 of 15,185 acres
46 mi
of trails · 1.9 per sq mi
#1
most conserved land in NC
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Air Park | 0.9 mi | 5 |
| 2. Mendoza Park | — | 33 |
| 3. Spring Lake Park Site 3 | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Spring Lake home is worth about $259K
The typical Spring Lake home is worth about $259,000, about the same as a year ago, 23% below the North Carolina typical home.
$259KZillow home value
Typical home value
Spring Lake$259K
North Carolina$335K
+0.2%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Spring Lake
Most working residents leave Spring Lake for work: only 6% work in town. The top destinations are Fayetteville (28%), Raleigh (5%) and Charlotte (3%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
6%work in town
Where working residents work
In Spring Lake6%
Fayetteville28%
Raleigh5%
Charlotte3%
Durham2%
23 mi
median commute distance
2,735
jobs based in Spring Lake
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 9% of U.S. towns
Spring Lake reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 91% report less. Within North Carolina, it does better than 29% of towns.
DSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Lake5
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Lake26.6
North Carolina18.1
U.S.15.5
9th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
29th
percentile among NC towns
58
violent crimes reported in 2025
306
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Spring Lake has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 32°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–56°
Spring49–74°
Summer69–89°
Fall51–74°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 30
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Spring Lake’s public schools outperform 36% of North Carolina districts
The public schools Spring Lake’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 64% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Elementary | K–5 | 254 | C− |
| Spring Lake Middle | 6–8 | 500 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Health
Healthier than 44% of U.S. towns
Spring Lake beats the North Carolina average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. North Carolina
8 better10 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Spring Lake | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.8% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.4% | 6.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.2% | 8.1% |
Womack Amc (Ft Bragg)
2.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
43rd
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 49% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
5
paid flood claims since 2016
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
About Spring Lake
Town in North Carolina, United States
Spring Lake is a town in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Spring Lake had a population of 11,660.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1923
- Population
- 11,660
- Area
- 23 sq mi
- Elevation
- 276 ft
- ZIP code
- 28390
- Area code
- 910
Spring Lake’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Spring Lake.
FayettevilleSpring Lake
More about Spring Lake
Still missing for Spring Lake:archive photosupcoming events