East Arcadia, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 444, East Arcadia'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

East Arcadia is a small community located in North Carolina, within Bladen County. The total population is 444. It ranks as the 607th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in East Arcadia is 50.5 years. This is 29% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 7.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in East Arcadia is $44,063. This is 39% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 30.9%. This is 137% 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 28.3%. This is 499% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $128,100. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, East Arcadia is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

East Arcadia has a predominantly Black or African American population, comprising 88.1% of all residents. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (88.1% vs 20.0%).

Education

26.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% 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 90.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for East Arcadia, 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.