Fairplains, North Carolina

Fairplains is a census-designated place (CDP) in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,051 at the 2000 census. The community was named "fairplains" because it was located at the geographic point where the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains begin to level off to the gently rolling Piedmont region of central North Carolina.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.2 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,029 people, 974 households, and 511 families residing in the CDP.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,051 people, 886 households, and 608 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 482.1 PD/sqmi. There were 974 housing units at an average density of 228.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 80.16% White, 14.97% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 3.66% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.92% of the population.

There were 886 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $28,563, and the median income for a family was $31,466. Males had a median income of $26,103 versus $21,295 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,972. About 13.5% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 25.1% of those age 65 or over.