Population 439 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Varnum: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Varnum
Household size in Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.08 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Varnum are small: just 2.19 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.08, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.0 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.4 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 55.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.8 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Varnum skews older: half of its residents are older than 55.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −12.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Varnum than nationally: 9.2%, against 11.6%.
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 Varnum
Renters in Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.5% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Varnum is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 4.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 47.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 55.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 37.7% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −27.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Varnum: 26.8% 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.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2000 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +15 | +7 | +6 |
Varnum has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2000, versus 1980 nationally.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $870 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $872 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $728 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,637 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$767 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Varnum runs $1,637 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in North Carolina overall ($1,317). The typical renter here spends 48.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Varnum
Bachelor's degrees in Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.2% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Varnum than nationally: 31.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.2% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.0% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Varnum never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
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 Varnum
| Period | Varnum | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.9 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Varnum has been low: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Varnum compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varnum | 2.19 | 55.8 | 9.2% | 4.3% | 26.8% | 2000 | $1,637 | 31.2% | 87.1% | 3.1% |
| Varnamtown | 2.29 | 60.5 | 4.6% | 4.8% | 21.6% | 1996 | $866 | 28.7% | 92.5% | 4.8% |
| Lennon Crossroads | 2.38 | 59.0 | 8.0% | 12.5% | 17.0% | 2006 | $1,626 | 27.5% | 93.3% | 9.6% |
| Bolivia | 2.42 | 52.2 | 14.1% | 14.2% | 17.4% | 2003 | $1,634 | 26.6% | 91.1% | 6.6% |
| Oak Island | 2.00 | 61.6 | 7.0% | 9.3% | 51.9% | 1998 | $1,535 | 43.2% | 96.9% | 1.8% |
| St. James | 2.00 | 67.7 | 2.0% | 4.6% | 15.9% | 2010 | $1,391 | 66.4% | 97.9% | 8.3% |
| Supply | 2.22 | 46.8 | 17.0% | 21.9% | 38.9% | 1994 | $1,015 | 16.1% | 85.6% | 6.2% |
| Holden Beach | 2.00 | 65.5 | 1.5% | 5.4% | 81.2% | 1992 | $1,475 | 66.9% | 98.9% | 2.3% |
| Piney Grove | 2.45 | 37.7 | 18.5% | 26.3% | 8.9% | 1996 | $1,339 | 12.6% | 89.3% | 9.4% |
| Caswell Beach | 2.04 | 65.9 | 4.6% | 4.7% | 53.8% | 1995 | $1,283 | 65.1% | 98.1% | 1.8% |
| Southport | 2.14 | 63.5 | 7.8% | 14.8% | 20.5% | 1999 | $1,340 | 34.6% | 94.1% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Richville, UT · North Star, MI · North Stratford, NH · Northboro, IA · O'Kean, AR · Oaklawn, GA · Orchard Farm, MO · Oriole, MO · Orr, KY · Redmesa, CO
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 Varnum. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.