Population 29,566 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bladen County
Household size in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Bladen County run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. North Carolina as a whole looks much the same. Household size has climbed from 2.40 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.0 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.2, Bladen County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.5, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Bladen County than nationally: 13.9%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bladen County
Renters in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.6% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Bladen County rent their homes (30.8%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About two-thirds of owners (66.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Bladen County: 21.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Bladen County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. Still, homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $522 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $597 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $680 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $798 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$277 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bladen County pays $798 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $277 a month from 2006–10, a 53% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bladen County
Bachelor's degrees in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Bladen County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.8%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.5 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.9% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.9% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bladen County is close to the national rate: 88.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in North Carolina as a whole (90.2%). The share with a diploma is up 13.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bladen County
| Period | Bladen County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bladen County is close to the national rate: 5.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in North Carolina as a whole (4.8%). Unemployment has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bladen County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bladen County | 2.54 | 44.2 | 13.9% | 30.8% | 21.2% | 1984 | $798 | 19.8% | 88.3% | 5.9% |
| Robeson County | 2.66 | 36.8 | 18.6% | 34.2% | 12.2% | 1985 | $816 | 15.1% | 80.3% | 5.8% |
| Scotland County | 2.50 | 39.5 | 18.3% | 38.2% | 12.2% | 1981 | $829 | 16.5% | 82.4% | 10.8% |
| Marlboro County | 2.51 | 41.3 | 14.1% | 37.0% | 19.9% | 1978 | $740 | 9.1% | 78.4% | 10.9% |
| Onslow County | 2.56 | 31.2 | 10.4% | 36.3% | 13.5% | 1997 | $1,304 | 24.5% | 93.9% | 5.6% |
| Chesterfield County | 2.51 | 42.3 | 16.1% | 27.2% | 15.7% | 1985 | $801 | 13.7% | 82.1% | 7.2% |
| Carteret County | 2.17 | 49.1 | 6.2% | 25.3% | 24.5% | 1991 | $1,183 | 34.2% | 93.9% | 3.8% |
| Chester County | 2.48 | 42.6 | 14.7% | 21.6% | 11.2% | 1979 | $962 | 14.0% | 85.1% | 5.8% |
| Union County | 2.34 | 44.5 | 17.0% | 28.7% | 15.0% | 1971 | $821 | 14.7% | 82.0% | 7.2% |
| Laurens County | 2.51 | 41.9 | 12.8% | 28.5% | 15.1% | 1984 | $877 | 17.8% | 83.6% | 4.3% |
| Anderson County | 2.52 | 41.0 | 11.7% | 25.2% | 9.6% | 1987 | $1,073 | 27.4% | 88.3% | 5.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Caroline County, MD · Laclede County, MO · Lassen County, CA · Latah County, ID · Lawrence County, AL · Lee County, IL · Lincoln County, ME · Monroe County, IL · Monroe County, MS · Natchitoches Parish, LA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bladen County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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