Bladen County, NC

County

Add Comparison

2024 Population

29,566

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

44.7

0.223% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

22%

3.39% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$42,422

4.73% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$135,100

7.39% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

11,255

0.679% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Bladen County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.9% of the residents in Bladen County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bladen County, NC are Bladen Community College (349 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Bladen County, NC was $135,100, and the homeownership rate was 69.2%.

Most people in Bladen County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Bladen County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Bladen County, NC borders Columbus County, NC, Cumberland County, NC, Pender County, NC, Robeson County, NC, and Sampson County, NC.

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Bladen County, NC is home to a population of 29.6k people, from which 96.9% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.8% of Bladen County, NC residents were born outside of the country (1.12k people).

In 2024, there were 1.66 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (15.8k people) in Bladen County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.69k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.9%

2024 Citizenship

97.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.9% of Bladen County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Bladen County, NC was 97.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bladen County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bladen County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
15.8k ± 146
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
9.5k ± 196
Other (Hispanic)
1.69k ± 403

9.31%

Hispanic Population

2.75k people

9.31% of the people in Bladen County, NC are hispanic (2.75k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Bladen County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,963 ± 11,520 people
India
83,219 ± 7,055 people
Honduras
48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

Foreign-Born Population

3.8%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.12k people

2.76%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

817 people

As of 2024, 3.8% of Bladen County, NC residents (1.12k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bladen County, NC was 2.76%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bladen County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
658 ± 169
Gulf War (2001-)
359 ± 132
Gulf War (1990s)
264 ± 113

Bladen County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.83 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Bladen County, NC.

Economy

The economy of Bladen County, NC employs 11.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Bladen County, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,519 people), Retail Trade (1,342 people), and Manufacturing (1,330 people), and the highest paying industries were Transportation & Warehousing ($82,791), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($66,523), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($66,167).

Employment

Occupations

11.3k

2024 Value

± 847

−0.679%

1 Year decline

± 11%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bladen County, NC declined at a rate of −0.679%, from 11.3k employees to 11.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bladen County, NC, are Production Occupations (1,357 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,141 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,085 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bladen County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

11.3k

2024 Value

± 847

−0.679%

1 Year decline

± 11%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bladen County, NC declined at a rate of −0.679%, from 11.3k employees to 11.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bladen County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,519 people), Retail Trade (1,342 people), and Manufacturing (1,330 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bladen County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Bladen County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,832

Median earning men ± $4,599

$35,900

Median earning women ± $2,649

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($83,264), Information ($70,833), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,354).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($83,309), Public Administration ($56,554), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,917).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

48
Other Services (except Public Administration)
46
Retail Trade
28
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$280k
Manufacturing
$44.3k
Transportation and Warehousing
$33.7k
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Bladen County, NC awarded 349 degrees. The student population of Bladen County, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 321 male students and 669 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bladen County, NC are White (158 and 45.3%), Black or African American (82 and 23.5%), Hispanic or Latino (50 and 14.3%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (40 and 11.5%).

The largest universities in Bladen County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Bladen Community College (349 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Bladen County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (74 and 21.2%), Registered Nursing (34 and 9.74%), and Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (34 and 9.74%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 990 students enrolled in Bladen County, NC, 32.4% men and 67.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 421 records, of which 60.1% were women and 39.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
74 degrees awarded
Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
34 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
34 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Bladen County, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 74 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Bladen County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Bladen Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

349 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bladen Community College with 349 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 117 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bladen County, NC, which is 0.504 times less than the 232 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 158 degrees mean that there were 1.93 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 82 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,128) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($126) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($2,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bladen County, NC was $135,100 in 2024, which is 0.406 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $125,800 to $135,100, a 7.39% increase. The homeownership rate in Bladen County, NC is 69.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Bladen County, NC have an average commute time of 28.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bladen County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 19% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bladen County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.02%.

Housing

Property

$135,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$18,968

$8,183

Median Property Taxes

±$622

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bladen County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bladen County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

69.2%

Homeownership

2024

62.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 69.2% of the housing units in Bladen County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bladen County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$42,422

Median Household Income

± $6,049

11.8k

Number of Households

± 862

In 2024, the median household income of the 11.8k households in Bladen County, NC declined from $42,422 from the previous year's value of $44,528.

The following chart displays the households in Bladen County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bladen County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.467

2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (79.4%)
Carpooled (11.1%)
Worked At Home (8.05%)

In 2024, 79.4% of workers in Bladen County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.1%) and those who worked at home (8.05%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bladen County, NC have a longer commute time (28.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.42% of the workforce in Bladen County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bladen County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bladen County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bladen County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 19% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bladen County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.02%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

22% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bladen County, NC (6.42k out of 29.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bladen County, NC is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 29.1% of the children was living in poverty in Bladen County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 224 in Bladen County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 146 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

89.8% of the population of Bladen County, NC has health coverage, with 31.5% on employee plans, 25.1% on Medicaid, 16% on Medicare, 14.9% on non-group plans, and 2.19% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Bladen County, NC see 4,218 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (4,218 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2265 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 983 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

4,218 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Bladen County, NC

Primary care physicians in Bladen County, NC see an average of 4,218 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (4,218 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Bladen County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 16.6% between 18 and 34 years, 38% between 35 and 64 years, and 23.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.2%

Uninsured

31.5%

Employer Coverage

25.1%

Medicaid

16%

Medicare

14.9%

Non-Group

2.19%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bladen County, NC grew by 15.2% from 8.89% to 10.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bladen County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 93.8 in Bladen County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bladen County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.6% in Bladen County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bladen County, NC.