The best of Fairmont’s subject grades is a B for walkability; the weakest is a D− for safety. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Fairmont, above both the North Carolina town median (13%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 21 of North Carolina’s 450 towns score lower on health. The median household income is $37K, and 29% of residents live below the poverty line. Fairmont's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 97% of U.S. towns. Fairmont Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Fairmont has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

WeakestD⁻Safety D⁻Jobs & income D⁻Health C⁻Schools CHazard risk

A shrinking town

Fairmont has shrunk 16% since 2010

2,663 counted in 2010 and 2,191 in 2020; an estimated 2,231 in 2025.

2,6632010

2,1912020

2,2312025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

How Fairmont grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Fairmont is from typical.

How grading works

SafetyMore crime per resident than almost any U.S. townD⁻Open →Jobs & income733 jobs based hereD⁻Open →HealthLess healthy than 96% of U.S. towns; Southeastern Regional Medical Center 10.8 miles awayD⁻Open →SchoolsC⁻Open →Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.6 of 20; 18.5% of households have no car; 7.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $94K, 2.2 years of the Lumberton area’s $42K median household incomeB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors0 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →History1 place on the National Register; 3 notable people born hereC⁺Open →Civic life1.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.9; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Fairmont main street, 1915, 1915

Fairmont’s story

119 years in pictures

The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1915.

1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.

1907Fairmont is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Fairmont: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Fairmont, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerLumbee River Elec Member14.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterTown of Fairmont water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fairmont’s trash rules yet

SchoolsRobeson County SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereRobeson County Board of ElectionsRobeson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025

ZIP code2834028340 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Fairmont.

HousingCost of living grade B⁻

The median rent in Fairmont is lower than in most of North Carolina or the rest of the country

At $603 a month, Fairmont’s median rent is where North Carolina’s towns sit at $1,085 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 47% of households own their home in Fairmont. The typical Fairmont home is worth about $94,000, up 3.5% in a year, 72% below the North Carolina typical home.

$94KZillow home value

	Fairmont	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	47%	67%	73%
Median rent	$603 a month	$1,085 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Fairmont$94K

North Carolina$332K

+3.5%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in April

Full pageFairmont’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3.5% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 2.6 years of income Rents$603 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsC⁻

Public schools in Fairmont fall behind 84% of North Carolina districts

Its public schools are run by Public Schools of Robeson County. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.

16%of NC districts it outscoresC⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Rosenwald ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4	Grades PK–4	343	D⁻

Full pageFairmont’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsPublic Schools of Robeson County Every school2 schools · Rosenwald Elementary Questions“Are Fairmont’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation

SafetyD⁻

More crime per resident than almost any U.S. town

Fairmont reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. Fairmont’s violent crime rate is 8.6 per 1,000 residents. Only 5 of the 154 North Carolina towns we compare have a higher property crime rate than Fairmont.

1%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

	Fairmont	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	8.6 per 1,000 residents	3.2	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	55.9 per 1,000 residents	21.8	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Fairmont8.6

North Carolina3.3

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Fairmont55.9

North Carolina18.1

U.S.15.5

1st

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

violent crimes reported in 2025

124

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageFairmont’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Questions“Is Fairmont, NC safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthD⁻

A larger share of adults in Fairmont say their health is fair or poor than in the typical North Carolina or U.S. town

34% of Fairmont adults say their health is fair or poor. Only 5 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Fairmont. 18% of Fairmont adults report frequent mental distress.

4%healthier than U.S. townsD⁻Health Grade

	Fairmont	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	34%	19%	19%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	50%	36%	35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	23%	13%	12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	19%	13%	14%

32 measures vs. North Carolina

4 better7 too close to call21 worse

What stands out	Fairmont	NC
Fewer binge drinkers	8.2%	14.7%
Fewer adults with depression	20.3%	24.2%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth	33.1%	13.9%

Southeastern Regional Medical Center

In Lumberton · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageFairmont’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearbySoutheastern Regional Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than NC on 4 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

In Fairmont, expect mild winters and hot summers

Fairmont has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Fairmont is 91°F.

91°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter35–58°

Spring50–75°

Summer69–90°

Fall52–75°

Nov 11

typical first frost

Mar 24

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

91°

typical summer high

Full pageFairmont’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 34°Rain & snow49″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

High risk in Fairmont, with hurricanes at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities. Since 2016, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Fairmont.

67risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

HurricanesInland floodingTornadoes

paid flood claims since 2016

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageFairmont’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claimsSince 2016 Past disasters5 federal disasters · Paid out in Fairmont Get ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D⁻

Most working residents commute out of Fairmont

Most working residents leave Fairmont for work: only 8% work in town. Among 291 North Carolina towns, just 10 have a lower median household income than Fairmont. The top destinations are Lumberton (25%), Fayetteville (5%) and Raleigh (4%).

8%work in town