HomeNorth CarolinaScotland County
Scotland County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Scotland County, North Carolina had an estimated 33,898 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,173, across 319 square miles. County output reached $1.56 bn in 2024, 624 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 16 7(a) approvals worth $22.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Scotland County
How many people live in Scotland County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202433,590
- Households12,580
- Average household size2.67
- Median household income$45,730
- Median age38.7
- Median gross rent$778 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$114,900
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over22,661
- Population under 187,804
- Share under 1823.2 percent
- Population 65 and over6,178
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6419,608
- Civilian labor force14,029
- Unemployment rate10.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.4 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties69th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1381st of 3,222
Scotland County is the 69th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.2 percent against 18.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Scotland County
Is Scotland County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202433,898
- Census 2020 base population34,173
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.80 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024238
- Births, 2024402
- Deaths, 2024494
- Natural change, 2024-92
- Net domestic migration, 2024204
- Net international migration, 2024126
- Total net migration, 2024330
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024645
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2118th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.80 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Scotland County
Where are people moving to Scotland County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving814
- People arriving, from those returns1,536
- Tax returns filed by households leaving741
- Net household movement73
- Adjusted gross income arriving$33.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$735,000
- Average income of an arriving household$40,844
- Average income of a leaving household$43,876
- Largest single originRobeson County (92 households)
- Largest single destinationRobeson County (87 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robeson County | 92 | 195 | $2.9 m |
| Richmond County | 63 | 139 | $2.5 m |
| Marlboro County | 61 | 127 | $1.6 m |
| Cumberland County | 50 | 87 | $2.0 m |
| Hoke County | 42 | 90 | $2.0 m |
| Moore County | 38 | 65 | $2.1 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 23 | 42 | $491,000 |
Households arriving report $3,032 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Robeson 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.
Scotland County
What is the Scotland County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.56 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.46 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.7 percent
- GDP change over five years32.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes68th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1481st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$46,441
Output grew 6.7 percent in the latest year and 32.5 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.
Scotland County
Employment by industry in Scotland County
- Covered employment, annual average11,960
- Establishments reporting706
- Average annual pay$50,042
- Average weekly wage$962
- Manufacturing, employment2,425
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,988
- Retail trade, employment1,538
- Retail trade, average annual pay$27,449
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,170
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,169
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment430
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$48,350
- Construction, employment362
- Transportation and warehousing, employment250
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,425 | 51 | $62,988 |
| Retail trade | 1,538 | 128 | $27,449 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,170 | 72 | $18,169 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 430 | 47 | $48,350 |
| Construction | 362 | 33 | $49,784 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 250 | 22 | $48,029 |
| Finance and insurance | 179 | 34 | $61,851 |
| Other services, except public administration | 160 | 49 | $30,427 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,425 jobs, 20.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Scotland County
How many businesses are in Scotland County?
- Establishments, all industries624
- Employment at those establishments10,272
- Annual payroll$412.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.6
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.
Scotland County
Building permits in Scotland County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202470
- Declared construction value permitted$15.6 m
- Single family units authorized70
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$222,868
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.6
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Scotland County
SBA loans in Scotland County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded16
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$22.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,387,119
- Median 7(a) approval$747,500
- Largest single approval$4,700,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)100
- Jobs per approval6.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals8
- Median 7(a) term144 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals12.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (7)
- Most active lenderFirst Financial Bank (6)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$595,000
- Average 504 approval$595,000
- Median 504 approval$595,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval12.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$22.8 m
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.
Scotland County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Scotland County
Do SBA loans in Scotland County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full3
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure10
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 4 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.
Scotland County
SBA lending by place in Scotland County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Laurinburg, approvals6
- Wagram, approvals3
- Laurel Hill, approvals2
- Marston, approvals2
- Gibson, approvals2
- Aberdeen, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Laurinburg | 6 | $12,244,400 |
| Wagram | 3 | $3,903,000 |
| Laurel Hill | 2 | $2,280,500 |
| Marston | 2 | $1,277,000 |
| Gibson | 2 | $778,000 |
| Aberdeen | 1 | $1,711,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Scotland County
How large is Scotland County?
- Land area319 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties79th of 100
- Width, east to west19.5 mi
- Height, north to south28.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land105
- Establishments per square mile1.96
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.
Scotland County
Flood risk in Scotland County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Scotland County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370316
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Scotland 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 Scotland County (community 370316), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Scotland 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. 100.0 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 Scotland 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 Scotland County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202433,590
- Households12,580
- Average household size2.67
- Median household income$45,730
- Median age38.7
Common questions
Scotland County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Scotland County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 33,898 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 33,590, in 12,580 households, ranking 69th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Scotland County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.80 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,173, to 33,898 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 402 births against 494 deaths, with net migration of 330. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Scotland County?
$45,730. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $114,900, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $778 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Scotland County?
624 establishments, employing 10,272 people with an annual payroll of $412.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Scotland County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,425 jobs, 20.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,960 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,042, or $962 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Scotland County?
16 7(a) approvals totaling $22.2 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $747,500, plus 1 504 approvals worth $595,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Scotland County?
70 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Scotland 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 Scotland County come from?
The largest single origin is Robeson County, with 92 households. Arriving households report an average income of $40,844 against $43,876 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Scotland 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 Scotland 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.
Scotland County
Cities and places in Scotland.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Scotland County. All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurinburg | city | 15,087 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Maxton | town | 2,330 | None recorded | 15.3 percent here, 84.7 percent Robeson County |
| Laurel Hill | CDP | 986 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Wagram | town | 754 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Gibson | town | 745 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Deercroft | CDP | 718 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Scotch Meadows | CDP | 370 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Old Hundred | CDP | 131 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 16 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Scotland County, the largest being Marston (2), Aberdeen (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.