Population 5,857 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Sawmills: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Sawmills
Household size in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, Sawmills sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in North Carolina as a whole, where it has 2.52 people. Household size has dropped from 2.75 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Sawmills are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Sawmills is younger than most North Carolina cities.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Sawmills: 16.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only 29 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sawmills
Renters in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.2% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.8% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Sawmills own their homes; 27.5% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly four in ten owners (37.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the south. The renter share has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.0% of the housing in Sawmills, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.0 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Sawmills was built around 1984, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $543 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $653 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $739 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $725 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$182 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sawmills pays $725 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $182 a month since 2006–10, up 34%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sawmills
Bachelor's degrees in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Sawmills: 11.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 1.6 points, even as the national share rose. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.3% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.2% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Sawmills never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 8.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 28 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sawmills
| Period | Sawmills | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sawmills is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in North Carolina as a whole (4.8%). Unemployment has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sawmills compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawmills | 2.64 | 40.6 | 16.4% | 27.5% | 15.0% | 1984 | $725 | 11.0% | 82.6% | 5.6% |
| Rutherford College | 2.27 | 49.5 | 7.9% | 25.4% | 7.3% | 1977 | $1,013 | 34.2% | 92.7% | 3.7% |
| Hudson | 2.56 | 42.2 | 16.7% | 22.7% | 10.3% | 1980 | $718 | 18.3% | 84.3% | 5.9% |
| Granite Falls | 2.52 | 43.6 | 13.9% | 23.2% | 11.5% | 1987 | $898 | 21.4% | 86.6% | 7.8% |
| Cajahs Mountain | 2.50 | 44.3 | 14.1% | 22.3% | 14.4% | 1975 | $812 | 14.0% | 84.6% | 6.4% |
| Rhodhiss | 2.66 | 46.6 | 10.8% | 22.7% | 5.9% | 1985 | $897 | 18.3% | 86.2% | 2.6% |
| Connelly Springs | 2.26 | 42.6 | 13.9% | 32.3% | 5.8% | 1984 | $921 | 20.4% | 88.1% | 7.5% |
| Gamewell | 2.48 | 40.8 | 11.4% | 31.6% | 14.8% | 1979 | $835 | 12.6% | 82.6% | 4.0% |
| Lenoir | 2.44 | 44.8 | 12.6% | 29.5% | 12.1% | 1975 | $760 | 19.2% | 84.4% | 4.2% |
| Hildebran | 2.63 | 37.5 | 14.9% | 29.0% | 5.5% | 1977 | $799 | 12.9% | 86.9% | 4.6% |
| Valdese | 2.08 | 49.0 | 9.1% | 25.2% | 7.1% | 1975 | $799 | 28.2% | 92.6% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Jay, OK · Kellyville, OK · Jourdanton, TX · Jonesville, VA · Jonesville, NC · Jonesville, MI · Jefferson, TX · Jefferson, NC · Jefferson, MD · Jefferson, MA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sawmills. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.