Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Laurinburg grades D− overall, 282nd of 286 graded towns in North Carolina, mostly because of safety and health. Its police reported 191 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 99% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 96% of the country. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 52% of U.S. towns. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Laurinburg, above both the North Carolina town median (13%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On incomes, just 28 of North Carolina’s 448 towns do worse. Laurinburg is home to St. Andrews University.
Where Laurinburg beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
John Blue House| College | Students |
|---|---|
| St. Andrews University | 585 |
Census counts: 968 in 1880, 14,978 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Laurinburg is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laurinburg, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Laurinburg.
Laurinburg is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it reports violent crime at 4 times the North Carolina rate and has poverty well above the North Carolina rate.
Violent crime runs at 12.6 per 1,000 residents, 4 times the North Carolina rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 43.4 per 1,000 residents, about twice the North Carolina rate, most of it theft.
Laurinburg’s violent crime rate is 12.6 per 1,000 residents. Laurinburg reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. Laurinburg’s property crime rate is 43.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Laurinburg | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 12.6 per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 43.4 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Scotland County Schools. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Scotland High School, with 1,294 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Johnson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 654 | C |
| Scotland High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,294 | B− |
| Scotland Early College HighTop results in townGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 238 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
Against the 3,094 U.S. towns with household incomes like Laurinburg’s, it is less healthy than 81%, so its D− isn’t only a matter of income.
19% of Laurinburg adults have diabetes. Laurinburg beats the North Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 49% of Laurinburg adults have high blood pressure.
| Laurinburg | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 38% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 19% | 19% |
| What stands out | Laurinburg | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.2% | 14.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.8% | 76.7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.5% | 8.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Home values rose 44% in five years, to about $145K, against 22% across North Carolina.
The typical Laurinburg home is worth about $145,000, up 4.5% in a year, 57% below the North Carolina typical home. 47% of households own their home in Laurinburg.
| Laurinburg | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 47% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $774 a month | $1,086 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
3.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest place to walk is Dragon Park, 72 acres with 1.6 miles of trail.
| Laurinburg | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dragon Park | 1.6 mi | 72 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The July high in Laurinburg is 91°F. Laurinburg has mild winters and warm summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 5 of Laurinburg’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Laurinburg has lost 890 jobs, to 6,504 in 2023. The top destinations are Fayetteville (4%), Lumberton (3%) and Raleigh (3%).
| Laurinburg | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $42,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 12% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities. Since 2009, 14 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Laurinburg.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Laurinburg
About 6 of every 100 Laurinburg residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.
8 places in Laurinburg on the National Register of Historic Places.
24 notable people were born in Laurinburg.
City in North Carolina, United States
Laurinburg is a city in and the county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. Located in south central North Carolina near the South Carolina border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and was home to St. Andrews University. The population was 14,978 at the 2020 Census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Laurinburg grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #282 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades D− for health, D− for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($45,730 across the Laurinburg, NC area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
24 notable people were born here, including William S. McArthur and Woody Shaw.
