CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

35.33° N · 79.04° W · GEOID 3703530

Barbecue

Lee County, North Carolina · part of the Sanford, NC metro

North CarolinaBarbecue, NCBarbecueBarbecue

The short answer

Barbecue is home to 5,910 people. Median household income is $79,426 a year and median rent is $1,383 a month, 20.9% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $219,800, about 2.8x annual median household income.

The story in Barbecue is how fast things are changing. Home values rose 10.3% a year between the 2023 and 2024 surveys while incomes rose -1.2%, a wider gap than in 97% of places its size. Also notable: Household income growth is -1.2% a year, against 6.2% a year in its closest peers.

23OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Barbecue scores better than 23% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 119th of 161 in North Carolina.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%65
Economy 20%61
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%10
Education 10%26
Commute 10%5
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,383
1% above the median place
Median household income
$79,426
1% below the median place
Median home value
$219,800
31% below the median place
Unemployment
3.8%
21% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Barbecue

  • HousingHalf the homes were built after 2004, newer housing than in 95% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Barbecue

Lee County gains about 11.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in4,441
Moved out3,850
Net+591

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within North Carolina, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within North CarolinaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$76K
Leavers$60K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Lee County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.1% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Lee County report $76,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $59,800, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$55,300 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,383 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,451 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $219,800.
Getting to work
36 minutes each way on average; 6.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Social Circle, GA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people6
11.6
above the median place (median -0.6)
Moved from another state1
1.1%
42% below the median place
Income of households moving out6
$59,760
15% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBarbecueAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.4%6% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.1%42% below
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure11.6above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$76,0158% above
Income of households moving out6County figure$59,76015% below
02

What it costs to live here

Owning with a mortgage costs only about $68 a month more than the median rent, a smaller gap than in 91% of the 2,469 places under 10,000 people we track.

Barbecue20.9%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$55,320
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
20.9%
2% above the median place
Home price to income
2.8x
27% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
21%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$62,400
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Barbecue, $1,383 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Barbecue, but easier on the budget

Places that match Barbecue on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Social Circle, GA9614.7% vs 20.9%n/aCompare
Bealeton, VA9417.3% vs 20.9%n/aCompare
Margaret, AL9413.2% vs 20.9%n/aCompare
Greenbrier, TN9417.1% vs 20.9%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Barbecue.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Barbecue? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
2004
1% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$1,399
57% below the median place
Homeownership1
81.7%
23% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureBarbecueAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3831% above
Rent to income120.9%2% above
Property tax rate10.6%30% below
Home price to income12.8x27% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,17927% below
HUD area median income3County figure$85,40020% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,39957% below
Median home value1$219,80031% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure6.2%94% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure69.2%34% above
Homeownership181.7%23% above
Renters paying 30%+147.8%6% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,45122% below
Vacant homes1County figure7.4%5% above
Median year built120041% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Mean commute1
36 min
46% above the median place
Income per person1
$31,178
22% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBarbecueAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$79,4261% below
Income per person1$31,17822% below
Unemployment1County figure3.8%21% below
Average annual pay5County figure$60,0579% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.4%8% below
Jobs5County figure27,41582% below
Poverty rate1County figure16.5%53% above
Mean commute136 min46% above
Works from home1County figure6.7%47% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Household size is 3.2, 27% above the median place.

Household size1
3.2
27% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
84.1%
9% below the median place
Median age1
35.0
10% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

No health insurance10.1% +58%
Bachelor's or higher22.1% −31%
High school or higher89.0% −4%
All 8 people measures
MeasureBarbecueAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15,9105998th largest
Median age135.010% below
Bachelor's or higher122.1%31% below
High school or higher189.0%4% below
Household size13.227% above
Born abroad1County figure9.9%12% above
No health insurance110.1%58% above
Homes with broadband184.1%9% below
05

Life in Barbecue

OpenStreetMap shows 0 parks per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 95% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 161 North Carolina places we track.

19 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.0 −100%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k1.7 −20%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k3.4 −70%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Guilford Courthouse National Military Park 72 miles
  • Moores Creek National Battlefield 80 miles
  • Booker T. Washington National Monument 131 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.4 −2%
Shops38.4 +27%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.5 −15%
Doctors' offices and clinics15.8 −22%
Child care centers2.7 +17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site9
72.1
134% above the median place
Shops per 10k7
38.4
27% above the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7
15.8
22% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureBarbecueAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure20122% above
Public school students11County figure10,641117% above
Students per teacher11County figure16.04% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure20.42% below
Shops per 10k7County figure38.427% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure3.515% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure15.822% below
Child care centers per 10k7County figure2.717% above
Parks per 10k80.0below (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k80.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k81.720% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k83.470% below
Libraries per 10k80.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails80.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi80.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site972.1134% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles90below (median 2)
National Register listings10County figure1946% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Natural hazard risk is 67.5, 27% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Barbecue. Larger places are fetched first.

Natural hazard risk13
67.5
27% below the median place
Heat wave risk13
72.2
20% below the median place
July average high12
90°F
4% above the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureBarbecueAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure90°F4% above
January average low12County figure31°F22% above
Average temperature12County figure61°F11% above
Annual precipitation12County figure45.9 in5% above
Natural hazard risk13County figure67.527% below
Hurricane risk13County figure84.820% above
Tornado risk13County figure81.50% above
Wildfire risk13County figure54.311% below
Heat wave risk13County figure72.220% below
08

Places like Barbecue

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Edgewood, MD$1,375$80,772Compare
Wilson, PA$1,370$82,902Compare
Pine Hill, NJ$1,411$72,588Compare
Ennis, TX$1,362$75,074Compare
Ennis, TXPine Hill, NJWilson, PAEdgewood, MDBarbecue, NCBarbecueEdgewoodWilsonEnnisBarbecueEdgewoodWilsonEnnis

Places built like Barbecue

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Barbecue performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Barbecue, NC20.9%-1.2%/yrn/a
Social Circle, GA14.7%10.6%/yr10.9%Compare
Temple, GA18.2%9.2%/yr32.0%Compare
Bealeton, VA17.3%3.3%/yrn/aCompare
Hampton, GA27.4%3.3%/yr11.2%Compare
Locust Grove, GA25.1%5.7%/yr29.0%Compare
Auburn, GA20.7%6.2%/yr34.8%Compare

Common questions

Is Barbecue a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 23 out of 100, better than 23% of the places we rate and 119th of 161 in North Carolina. Half the homes were built after 2004, newer housing than in 95% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Barbecue expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 20.9% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $219,800.

What salary do you need to live in Barbecue?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $55,320 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Barbecue?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Edgewood, MD, Wilson, PA, Pine Hill, NJ and Ennis, TX.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  9. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Barbecue with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Barbecue itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/barbecue-north-carolina

Citytistics. “Barbecue, North Carolina.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/barbecue-north-carolina/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.