Dobbins Heights, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 560, Dobbins Heights's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Dobbins Heights is a small community located in North Carolina, within Richmond County. The total population is 560. It ranks as the 565th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dobbins Heights is 42.6 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 13.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dobbins Heights is $18,958. This is 74% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 77% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 50.0%. This is 284% 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 34.4%. This is 628% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $56,000. Housing costs are 81% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 54.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dobbins Heights is Black or African American, making up 84.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 6.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (6.8%) is well below the state average of 60.0%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (84.3% vs 20.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 11.3%.

Education

3.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 90% 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 80.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dobbins Heights, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.