The Town FilesPatterson Springs, North Carolina
Town in Cleveland County · population 571 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $142,200
- Household income
- $58,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 34.5
Patterson Springs is a town of 571 people in Cleveland County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $142,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 94% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 81% of North Carolina towns.
How Patterson Springs ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Patterson Springs is worth $142,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $58,250, which is more affordable than 92% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,000 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Patterson Springs | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,200 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,000 | $969 |
| Median household income | $58,250 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Patterson Springs
| People | Patterson Springs | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.2% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.6% | — |
| Work from home | 13.3% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.9% | 89.5% |
Weather in Patterson Springs
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.0 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 88 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Patterson Springs since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 27, 1973 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 16, 1980.
Severe weather in Cleveland County since 1996
Cleveland County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 28, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Cleveland County
Cleveland County had 36,696 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,753 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Patterson Springs itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Towns near Patterson Springs
- Shelby, NC4.3 mi · 21,918 people · home $197,200
- Light Oak, NC4.3 mi · 697 people · home $89,200
- Grover, NC5.3 mi · 802 people · home $127,800
- Blacksburg, SC7.6 mi · 1,889 people · home $157,400
- Boiling Springs, NC8.4 mi · 4,615 people · home $265,400
- Kings Mountain, NC9.3 mi · 11,142 people · home $204,100
- Kingstown, NC10.7 mi · 656 people · home $92,400
- East Gaffney, SC11.9 mi · 2,882 people · home $77,600
Patterson Springs questions
Is Patterson Springs, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Patterson Springs scores better for retirees than 8% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 16%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.5).
How much does a house cost in Patterson Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Patterson Springs is valued at $142,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,250, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,000 a month.
What is the weather like in Patterson Springs?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 4.0 inches of snow.
Does Patterson Springs get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Patterson Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 27, 1973. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)