CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

35.25° N · 79.37° W · GEOID 3773140

Whispering Pines

Moore County, North Carolina · part of the Pinehurst, NC metro

North CarolinaWhispering Pines, NCWhispering PinesWhispering Pines

The short answer

Whispering Pines is home to 5,211 people. Median household income is $126,450 a year and median rent is $2,336 a month, 22.2% 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 $464,800, about 3.7x annual median household income.

Whispering Pines is defined by its growth. Household income growth is 9.6% a year, against 4.5% a year in its closest peers. Also notable: Rent run 42% above what its fundamentals predict in North Carolina.

81OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Strong

Whispering Pines scores better than 81% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 20th of 161 in North Carolina.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%45
Economy 20%68
Safety 20%100
Amenities 15%19
Education 10%93
Commute 10%27
Growth 5%97
Median gross rent
$2,336
71% above the median place
Median household income
$126,450
57% above the median place
Median home value
$464,800
46% above the median place
Unemployment
4.8%
1% 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 Whispering Pines

  • HousingHalf the homes were built after 2001, newer housing than in 91% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Whispering Pines

Moore County gains about 10.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in7,099
Moved out6,164
Net+935

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Wake County, NC295323−28
Hoke County, NC254227+27
Lee County, NC205209−4
Montgomery County, NC125

Within North Carolina, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within North CarolinaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$93K
Leavers$81K

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

Who moves here
8.1% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 4.2% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Moore County report $93,100 a year in income on average; those leaving, $81,000, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$93,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,336 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,167 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $464,800.
Getting to work
29 minutes each way on average; 17.3% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Five Forks, SC matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
4.2%
112% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
10.4
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8
$93,065
32% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureWhispering PinesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure8.1%41% above
Moved from another state1County figure4.2%112% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure10.4above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$93,06532% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$80,96315% above
02

What it costs to live here

Owning with a mortgage costs about $169 a month less than the median rent, a rarer pattern than in 97% of the 2,469 places under 10,000 people we track.

Whispering Pines22.2%
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
$93,440
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.2%
9% above the median place
Home price to income
3.7x
3% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
22%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$103,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Whispering Pines, $2,336 a month, and local prices for everything else (94.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Whispering Pines, but easier on the budget

Places that match Whispering Pines 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
Five Forks, SC9318.4% vs 22.2%$15,300Compare
Woodlake, VA8916.4% vs 22.2%$15,000Compare
Scenic Oaks, TX8912.6% vs 22.2%$57,000Compare
Aledo, TX8918.7% vs 22.2%$28,200Compare

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Whispering Pines? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
2001
1% above the median place
Homeownership1
85.8%
29% above the median place
Property tax rate1
0.7%
25% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureWhispering PinesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,33671% above
Rent to income122.2%9% above
Property tax rate10.7%25% below
Home price to income13.7x3% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure88.312% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,22324% below
HUD area median income4County figure$106,3001% below
Property tax paid (median)1$3,1513% below
Median home value1$464,80046% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure1.8%42% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure67.3%31% above
Homeownership185.8%29% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure48.8%4% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,16716% above
Vacant homes1County figure12.5%76% above
Median year built120011% 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%)
Median household income1
$126,450
57% above the median place
Mean commute1
29 min
17% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureWhispering PinesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$126,45057% above
Income per person1$47,31018% above
Unemployment1County figure4.8%1% below
Average annual pay6County figure$56,50914% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.5%22% above
Jobs6County figure42,75172% below
Poverty rate1County figure10.1%6% below
Mean commute129 min17% above
Works from home117.3%39% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 99.0%, 7% above the median place.

High school or higher1
99.0%
7% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
97.7%
6% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
67.0%
109% above the median place
All 9 people measures
MeasureWhispering PinesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15,2116471st largest
Population change since 2020710.7%above (median 1.1%)
Median age137.25% below
Bachelor's or higher167.0%109% above
High school or higher199.0%7% above
Household size12.916% above
Born abroad1County figure5.1%43% below
No health insurance1County figure7.6%19% above
Homes with broadband197.7%6% above
05

Life in Whispering Pines

OpenStreetMap shows 63.3 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 161 North Carolina places we track.

34 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents63.3 6.2×
Playgrounds per 10k19.2 2.0×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1.9 −83%
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 66 miles
  • Moores Creek National Battlefield 90 miles
  • Kings Mountain National Military Park 114 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.9 +10%
Shops34.3 +13%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.4 +32%
Doctors' offices and clinics20.4 +1%
Child care centers4.0 +74%

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

Nearest National Park Service site11
66.2
115% above the median place
Child care centers per 10k9
4.0
74% above the median place
Students per teacher14
18.1
18% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureWhispering PinesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14County figure26189% above
Public school students14County figure14,708200% above
Students per teacher14County figure18.118% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.910% above
Shops per 10k9County figure34.313% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.432% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure20.41% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure4.074% above
Parks per 10k1063.3above (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k1019.2104% above
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k101.983% below
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1166.2115% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles110below (median 2)
National Register listings12County figure34162% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

The city police department reported 0 violent offenses per 100,000 residents, fewer than in 98% of the 1,367 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 110 North Carolina places we track.

Violent crime per 100k
0
below the median place (median 192)
Property crime per 100k
109
91% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Natural hazard risk16
75.6
18% below the median place
July average high15
90°F
4% above the median place
Average temperature15
61°F
11% above the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureWhispering PinesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure90°F4% above
January average low15County figure31°F24% above
Average temperature15County figure61°F11% above
Annual precipitation15County figure46.3 in6% above
Natural hazard risk16County figure75.618% below
Hurricane risk16County figure88.325% above
Tornado risk16County figure85.75% above
Wildfire risk16County figure81.834% above
Heat wave risk16County figure76.815% below
08

Whispering Pines in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 22% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Whispering Pines does better than 46% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 44%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,336/mo (2024)$3,040/mo$2,490 to $3,700/mo+4.5%
Median household income$126,450 (2024)$163,500$138,000 to $193,500+4.4%
Median home value$464,800 (2024)$664,000$482,000 to $914,000+6.1%
Population5,505 (2025)5,8205,580 to 6,060+1.1%

The median home would be worth 4.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Whispering Pines

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

PlaceRentIncome
Hollymead, VA$2,140$118,250Compare
King of Prussia, PA$2,077$117,912Compare
Fair Oaks, VA$2,275$123,947Compare
Secaucus, NJ$2,391$139,821Compare
Secaucus, NJFair Oaks, VAKing of Prussia, PAHollymead, VAWhispering Pines, NCWhispering PinesHollymeadKing of PrussiaSecaucusWhispering PinesHollymeadKing of PrussiaSecaucus

Places built like Whispering Pines

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 Whispering Pines performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Whispering Pines, NC22.2%9.6%/yr10.7%
Hollymead, VA21.7%5.8%/yrn/aCompare
Spring Ridge, MD13.7%5.0%/yrn/aCompare
Woodlake, VA16.4%5.9%/yrn/aCompare
Mount Airy, MD14.7%3.8%/yr2.1%Compare
Five Forks, SC18.4%4.4%/yrn/aCompare
Purcellville, VA16.1%3.5%/yr-0.4%Compare

Common questions

Is Whispering Pines a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 81 out of 100, better than 81% of the places we rate and 20th of 161 in North Carolina. Half the homes were built after 2001, newer housing than in 91% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Whispering Pines expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.2% 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 $464,800.

What salary do you need to live in Whispering Pines?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $93,440 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Whispering Pines safe?

There were 0 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Whispering Pines?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Hollymead, VA, King of Prussia, PA, Fair Oaks, VA and Secaucus, NJ.

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. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. 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.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 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
  16. 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 Whispering Pines with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Whispering Pines itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/whispering-pines-north-carolina

Citytistics. “Whispering Pines, North Carolina.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/whispering-pines-north-carolina/

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