HomeNorth CarolinaRobeson County
Robeson County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Robeson County, North Carolina had an estimated 118,624 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 116,524, across 949 square miles. County output reached $5.04 bn in 2024, 1,787 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 39 7(a) approvals worth $31.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Robeson County
How many people live in Robeson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024116,902
- Households43,134
- Average household size2.71
- Median household income$41,978
- Median age36.4
- Median gross rent$805 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$94,500
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income23.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over74,911
- Population under 1830,188
- Share under 1825.8 percent
- Population 65 and over18,753
- Share 65 and over16.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6467,961
- Civilian labor force45,696
- Unemployment rate6.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.7 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties26th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included544th of 3,222
Robeson County is the 26th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.8 percent against 16.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Robeson County
Is Robeson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024118,624
- Census 2020 base population116,524
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.80 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024919
- Births, 20241,847
- Deaths, 20241,676
- Natural change, 2024171
- Net domestic migration, 2024240
- Net international migration, 2024503
- Total net migration, 2024743
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,122
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1240th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.80 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Robeson County
Where are people moving to Robeson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,922
- People arriving, from those returns3,787
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,856
- Net household movement66
- Adjusted gross income arriving$69.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-9.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$36,190
- Average income of a leaving household$42,786
- Largest single originCumberland County (421 households)
- Largest single destinationCumberland County (404 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 421 | 872 | $14.3 m |
| Hoke County | 146 | 300 | $4.5 m |
| Bladen County | 90 | 204 | $2.9 m |
| Scotland County | 87 | 165 | $2.6 m |
| Wake County | 47 | 83 | $1.9 m |
| Columbus County | 44 | 95 | $1.2 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 44 | 80 | $1.6 m |
| Dillon County | 31 | 61 | $934,000 |
Households arriving report $6,596 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Cumberland County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Robeson County
What is the Robeson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$5.04 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.92 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.6 percent
- GDP change over five years24.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes30th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes715th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$43,153
Output grew 2.6 percent in the latest year and 24.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Robeson County
Employment by industry in Robeson County
- Covered employment, annual average38,484
- Establishments reporting2,176
- Average annual pay$45,957
- Average weekly wage$884
- Health care and social assistance, employment7,501
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$44,144
- Manufacturing, employment7,283
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,556
- Retail trade, employment4,927
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,781
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,604
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$38,526
- Construction, employment1,199
- Wholesale trade, employment982
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,501 | 360 | $44,144 |
| Manufacturing | 7,283 | 88 | $55,556 |
| Retail trade | 4,927 | 411 | $32,781 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,604 | 99 | $38,526 |
| Construction | 1,199 | 176 | $52,905 |
| Wholesale trade | 982 | 72 | $58,667 |
| Finance and insurance | 780 | 100 | $57,321 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 764 | 73 | $50,325 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 7,501 jobs, 19.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Robeson County
How many businesses are in Robeson County?
- Establishments, all industries1,787
- Employment at those establishments31,788
- Annual payroll$1.34 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents15.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Robeson County
Building permits in Robeson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024337
- Declared construction value permitted$59.9 m
- Single family units authorized335
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units0.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$177,654
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.8
Single-family homes are 99.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Robeson County
SBA loans in Robeson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded39
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$31.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$798,041
- Median 7(a) approval$426,500
- 10th percentile approval$96,700
- 90th percentile approval$1,770,100
- Largest single approval$3,704,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)633
- Jobs per approval16.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active18
- Distinct industries receiving approvals22
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms11
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter20
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals7.7 percent
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.7 m
- Average 504 approval$530,400
- Median 504 approval$529,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval10.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.0
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$33.8 m
The average approval of $798,041 sits well above the median of $426,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 28.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Robeson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Robeson County
Do SBA loans in Robeson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure25
- Status: Cancelled9
- Status: Paid in full5
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Robeson County
SBA lending by place in Robeson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Lumberton, approvals17
- Pembroke, approvals5
- Maxton, approvals4
- Red Springs, approvals3
- St. Pauls, approvals3
- Fairmont, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Lumberton | 17 | $12,969,200 |
| Pembroke | 5 | $2,886,000 |
| Maxton | 4 | $5,889,500 |
| Red Springs | 3 | $3,679,000 |
| St. Pauls | 3 | $2,530,500 |
| Fairmont | 3 | $2,308,000 |
| Parkton | 2 | $133,700 |
| Rowland | 1 | $426,500 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $301,200 |
Lumberton accounts for 17 approvals against 5 in Pembroke. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Robeson County
How large is Robeson County?
- Land area949 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties1st of 100
- Width, east to west37.4 mi
- Height, north to south45.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land123
- Establishments per square mile1.88
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Robeson County
Flood risk in Robeson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Robeson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370202
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate66.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Robeson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Robeson County (community 370202), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Robeson County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 66.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Robeson County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Robeson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024116,902
- Households43,134
- Average household size2.71
- Median household income$41,978
- Median age36.4
Common questions
Robeson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Robeson County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 118,624 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 116,902, in 43,134 households, ranking 26th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Robeson County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.80 percent since the 2020 census base of 116,524, to 118,624 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,847 births against 1,676 deaths, with net migration of 743. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Robeson County?
$41,978. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $94,500, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $805 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Robeson County?
1,787 establishments, employing 31,788 people with an annual payroll of $1.34 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Robeson County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 7,501 jobs, 19.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 38,484 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,957, or $884 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Robeson County?
39 7(a) approvals totaling $31.1 m since FY2020, across 18 lenders, with a median approval of $426,500, plus 5 504 approvals worth $2.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Robeson County?
337 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $59.9 m. Multifamily was 0.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Robeson County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Robeson County come from?
The largest single origin is Cumberland County, with 421 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,190 against $42,786 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Robeson County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Robeson County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Robeson County
Cities and places in Robeson.
22 Census places lie wholly or partly in Robeson County. All 22 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumberton | city | 18,859 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Red Springs | town | 3,125 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Pembroke | town | 2,822 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Pauls | town | 2,688 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairmont | town | 2,463 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Maxton | town | 2,330 | 4 | 84.7 percent here, 15.3 percent Scotland County |
| Barker Ten Mile | CDP | 1,156 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rowland | town | 946 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Prospect | CDP | 907 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Parkton | town | 529 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rennert | town | 292 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Raemon | CDP | 288 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Elrod | CDP | 246 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wakulla | CDP | 142 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shannon | CDP | 125 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Proctorville | town | 109 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| McDonald | town | 106 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marietta | town | 106 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lumber Bridge | town | 75 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rex | CDP | 59 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Orrum | town | 56 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Raynham | town | 42 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 39 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Robeson County, the largest being Fayetteville (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.