Bladen County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Bladen County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Bladen County, North Carolina has a population of 29,566, the 71st most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $42,422 and the median home value is $135,100. The poverty rate is 22.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Bladen County Quick Facts

Population 29,566

Median Household Income $42,422

Median Home Value $135,100

Poverty Rate 22.0%

Unemployment Rate 5.4%

Median Age 44.7 years

Homeownership Rate 69.2%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.5%

High School Graduation 88.6%

Cities/Places 10

Population 29,566 71st of 100

Median Income $42,422 41% lower than state

Poverty Rate 22.0%

Unemployment 5.4%

How Bladen County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	29,591	29,566	-0.1%
Median household income	$44,528	$42,422	-4.7%
Median home value	$125,800	$135,100	+7.4%

Median Household Income

Bladen

$42,422

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Bladen

$135,100

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 29.7%

$25K-$50K 25.6%

$50K-$100K 25.2%

$100K+ 19.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.7%

$10K-$15K

6.8%

$15K-$20K

5.3%

$20K-$25K

5.9%

$25K-$30K

5.9%

$30K-$35K

6.8%

$35K-$40K

6.5%

$40K-$45K

3.0%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

5.6%

$60K-$75K

7.9%

$75K-$100K

11.6%

$100K-$125K

8.0%

$125K-$150K

4.5%

$150K-$200K

3.1%

$200K+

3.9%

Employment

5.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

49.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.2%

Renter 30.8%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $773/mo 21.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.6%

18-34

18.1%

35-54

23.6%

55-74

28.3%

75+

9.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Bladen County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Elizabethtown	3,277	$29,375	33.0%	$159,200
Bladenboro	2,249	$52,337	27.3%	$99,500
White Lake	970	$84,375	5.9%	$235,300
Clarkton	740	$27,292	50.1%	$140,100
Kelly	616	$52,703	5.7%	$128,200
East Arcadia	444	$44,063	30.9%	$128,100
Dublin	349	$51,429	23.8%	$134,600
White Oak	191	$98,929	6.8%	$407,100
Tar Heel	69	$27,014	8.7%	$160,000
Butters	62	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Bladen County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 29,566. It is the 71st most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bladen County is 44.7 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bladen County is $42,422. This is 41% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.0%. This is 69% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $135,100. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 69.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bladen County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 53.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 32.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (32.1% vs 20.0%). The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

19.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Bladen County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Bladen County, North Carolina?

Bladen County has a population of 29,566, making it the 71st most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Bladen County?

The median household income in Bladen County is $42,422 with a poverty rate of 22.0%.

How many cities are in Bladen County, North Carolina?

Bladen County contains 10 Census-designated places.