Shannon: a rural town, commutable to major employers
In a rural stretch of Robeson County, the small town of Shannon has homes on acres of land and surrounded by farms. Intersected by state Route 71 and less than 30 miles from Fort Bragg, this quiet area still isn’t far from the region’s largest employers and amenities. Plus, the recent completion of I-295, Fayetteville’s Outer Loop, has made commuting even easier. “We have so much industry: chicken processing companies, a Pepsi plant that opened on Highway 20. Things come along to help support that type of rural sale. The access to get to Fort Bragg easier would be [another] reason why you would live somewhere like Shannon,” says Kimberly Bullard, a real estate broker with Kastle Properties. She also explains that, while Fayetteville has new people moving in from all over, areas like Shannon have more generational ties. “You’re typically selling to family that wants to be near family,” she says.
Homes on acres of land in Shannon
Ranch-style homes and cottages are common, and plots of land also come up for sale. There are also some recently constructed homes featuring New Traditional styles and two-car garages throughout. “New construction has had to stretch much further rural because Fayetteville and Home Mills have been saturated over the years,” Bullard says. “They’re not really in subdivisions, and the reason for that is likely because there’s no sewer, you have to do septic.” Homes have sold here for between $50,000 and $425,000, with a median sale price of $149,000.
Bullard notes that homebuyers in Shannon and other nearby rural communities may qualify for the USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. Through this program, low- and moderate-income buyers can get more favorable mortgage terms through lenders, even without a down payment.
Getting to Fort Bragg and local facilities
Fayetteville’s Outer Loop, which comprises Interstate 295 around the city, was completed in 2025 after over 20 years of construction. Drivers can take I-295 to get to Fort Bragg, a major Army base and the region’s largest employer, in under 45 minutes. Downtown Fayetteville is also 23 miles northeast, and the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and Fayetteville Regional Airport are both about 20 miles away. “Access to those types of rural towns has become easier because of the new 295,” Bullard says.
Other employers are also nearby. Mountaire Farms of NC is a chicken processing plant just down the road from Shannon, off state Route 71. The neighboring town of St. Pauls also has the Sanderson Farms poultry processing plant and Pepsi bottling facility.
Staples along NC-71 and more in Red Springs
State Route 71 has the town’s post office, fire station and a couple of gas stations. Places of worship, such as Shannon Missionary Baptist Church and St. John Missionary Baptist Church, are also along 71 and dotted throughout the community. The neighboring town of Red Springs has more businesses, such as Food Lion and Dollar General. Red Springs also has restaurants. Favorites include Munchie Mike’s, a casual spot serving piled-high burgers and sauce-drenched wings, and Taqueria Leon, a Mexican eatery serving classics like tacos and fajitas.
Robeson County schools serve students
Many students in Shannon are zoned for the Public Schools of Robeson County. The district earns an overall C rating from Niche. Children may begin at Rex-Rennert Elementary School and continue to Red Springs Middle School, both of which have C-minus Niche ratings. Red Springs High School has a C-plus and offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including Spanish Club, Future Business Leaders of America, the National Technical Honor Society and others. Alternatively, nearby Red Springs is home to Highlander Academy, a private school teaching pre-K through 12th grades. It’s not rated by Niche.
Family-oriented parks with athletic facilities nearby
Shannon locals are within a short drive of a few community parks. The Rennert Athletic Park has fields that host youth t-ball and softball games, and the 211 Sports Complex has more fields, plus a playground and splashpad. Nearby Red Springs is home to other outdoor spaces, like the Willie J. Goodyear Memorial Park, where families can shoot hoops on the basketball court or play soccer.
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Written By
Faith Wakefield
