Pinebluff has small-town charm and steady growth in Moore County
The community of Pinebluff offers easygoing, small-town living in the Sandhills Region of North Carolina. "It is mainly a residential area. As a result, it's very quiet, and I think that draws a lot of people here," says Melissa Adams, Pinebluff's town administrator. The area has seen slow but steady growth in recent years, with new subdivisions attracting families and commuters seeking a relaxed community near Fort Bragg, the largest Army base in the world. And while it's close to towns like Pinehurst and Aberdeen, which have many recreational amenities and stores, Pinebluff has recreation and amenities right in town. "People really love living here," Adams says.
Quiet subdivisions and residential streets in Pinebluff
Properties in Pinebluff feature spacious yards with sandy soil and towering pine trees, which are characteristic of this part of North Carolina. Older homes in Pinebluff include ranch-style houses and cottages built in the mid-to-late 20th century, but there are also newer contemporary and New Traditional houses with two-car garages. Most properties sell for $190,000 to $580,000, depending on their size and condition. "I think our homes are a little more reasonable than Pinehurst and Southern Pines,” Adams says. “We don't have the great big, million-dollar homes. We do have several subdivisions going in, and more on the way.”
Commuting to Fort Bragg and other hotspots
Adams notes that locals commute around the region, including to neighboring Hoke County and the nearby city of Rockingham. Some commuters drive 30 miles to Fort Bragg using U.S. Route 1 and state Route 690. The base is in Fayetteville, which is also home to Fayetteville Regional Airport. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 75 miles northeast of Pinebluff. For health care, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital is less than 9 miles away in Pinehurst.
Pinecrest High offers ways for students to get involved
Students living in Pinebluff typically begin at Aberdeen Elementary School, which has a C-plus rating from Niche, and continue their education at the B-rated Southern Middle School and then the A-minus-rated Pinecrest High School. Students at Pinecrest High can join groups including Spanish Club, Air Force JROTC, Creative Writing Club, Band and National Honor Society.
Exploring Pinebluff's parks and searching for glass pinecones
The town manages several recreation areas, including pickleball courts at the Pinebluff Community Center, a playground at Donald S. Cunningham Park and a baseball field off Currant Street. The Bluff Disc Golf Course covers around 20 acres behind the baseball field. "We do have a very nice park system,” Adam says. “Our centerpiece is Pinebluff Lake.” At Pinebluff Lake, locals can cool off with a swim or hike around the lake's trails. Adams explains that Pinebluff also participates in the county's annual Pinecone Pathways scavenger hunt, which has been held each spring since 2022. One hundred glass pinecones are hidden throughout trails around the county, and participants follow clues to discover them. "People came from all over the place to find these pinecones. It was very popular," Adams says. For more recreation, the Cardinal Park & Recreation Center has camping, boating and fishing around its lake in Pinebluff, and the public Legacy Golf Links has an 18-hole layout with rolling green hills.
Small-town businesses serve basic needs
Pinebluff has a handful of locally owned places to eat. Kenny's Country Restaurant, a casual diner serving breakfast and lunch, offers burgers and fries, sandwiches and platters with bacon and eggs. Next door, Village Pizza has takeout. Churches such as Pinebluff United Methodist Church and Ives Memorial Baptist Church are within a few blocks of each other, and Pinebluff Library is just down the road next to the town hall. For errands, Pinebluff has a Family Dollar, a Dollar General and a few gas stations. Aberdeen has many more shopping options about 4 miles away, including Aldi, Food Lion and Target.
New investments in public services as Pinebluff manages growth
While Pinebluff has experienced growth, Adams feels that the town has managed the influx of people well. "The board is looking at everything carefully, and we're making a plan for it," she says. "Pinebluff has come a long way in the last couple of years. The fire department was basically only operating with volunteers, and now we have almost 24-hour coverage. We have six full-time police officers, and before we only had two or three." Pinebluff's CAP Index Crime Score is a 2, below the national average of 4.
![Faith Wakefield]()
Written By
Faith Wakefield
