Kelly, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 616, Kelly'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

Kelly is a small community located in North Carolina, within Bladen County. The total population is 616. It ranks as the 549th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kelly is 30.3 years. This is 23% lower than the state median of 39.1 years. With 45.9% of the population under 18, Kelly has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kelly is $52,703. This is 27% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.7%. This is 56% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Kelly, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $128,200. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Kelly is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kelly is Black or African American, making up 50.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 25.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (25.5%) is well below the state average of 60.0%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (50.2% vs 20.0%).

Education

0.0% 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. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kelly, 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.