Pinehurst, NC

Pinehurst is a small, resort-oriented village in Moore County in the Sandhills region of North Carolina, with a population of roughly 15,000 to 16,000 residents. It carries the polished, genteel character of a planned resort community, with wide oak-shaded streets, brick sidewalks in the historic Village center, and a year-round rhythm shaped by golf, equestrian culture, and seasonal visitors. The village is best known as the home of Pinehurst Resort, one of the most storied golf destinations in the United States, and it functions as a gateway to the broader Sandhills, a longleaf-pine landscape of rolling sand ridges. It sits roughly 60 to 70 miles southwest of Raleigh, the nearest major metropolitan area, and about two hours east of Charlotte.

The marquee draw is the Pinehurst Resort, the sprawling historic resort anchored by the No. 2 course, originally designed by Donald Ross and later restored by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, which has hosted multiple U.S. Opens and other major championships. Beyond championship golf, the resort offers tennis, spa facilities, and several dining venues, while its clubhouse and the surrounding village lanes give the property a walkable, storybook feel. A stay in Pinehurst places guests within a few minutes' drive of the resort's main gates from most parts of the village, and many rental guests spend the bulk of their trip on or near the grounds.

Just outside the village core, Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Preserve protects a striking stand of old-growth longleaf pine forest, a rare glimpse of the pine ecosystem that once covered millions of acres across the Southeast. Visitors come for shaded hiking trails, bird-watching, and an interpretive center that explains the fire-dependent ecology of the Sandhills. The preserve lies only a short drive east of the village center, making it an easy morning or afternoon escape for guests seeking a quieter, natural counterpoint to a day on the fairways.

The neighboring town of Southern Pines, just a few minutes away, adds a livelier complement to Pinehurst's more curated atmosphere. Its downtown blends independent bookshops, local restaurants, and antique stores with a casual, walkable energy, and the broader Pinehurst–Southern Pines area is dotted with additional golf courses, equestrian facilities, and gardens that draw visitors throughout the year. Together, the two towns create a compact base for exploring the Sandhills without ever feeling crowded.

For short-term rental owners, Pinehurst offers a compelling combination of year-round demand drivers — championship golf, a temperate four-season climate, an established reputation among domestic travelers, and proximity to several other small but attractive towns — wrapped in a setting that feels distinctly Southern without being overrun by mass tourism. Its small footprint, strong brand recognition, and consistent calendar of tournaments and seasonal visitors make it a market where well-located properties can perform steadily across much of the year.