The Town FilesBladenboro, North Carolina
Town in Bladen County · population 1,648 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $99,500
- Household income
- $52,337
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 36.1
Bladenboro is a town of 1,648 people in Bladen County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $99,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 97% of North Carolina towns, hipper than 88% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of North Carolina towns.
How Bladenboro ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bladenboro is worth $99,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $52,337, which is more affordable than 98% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $655 a month. 46.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bladenboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $99,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $655 | $969 |
| Median household income | $52,337 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 46.7% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bladenboro
| People | Bladenboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 32.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.6% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.3% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.5% |
Weather in Bladenboro
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.9°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.2 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bladenboro since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 16, 2011 about 0.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 22, 2000.
Severe weather in Bladen County since 1996
Bladen County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Bladen County
Bladen County had 13,453 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,430 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Bladenboro itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Bladenboro
3 public schools with 1,410 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Bladen High | 9-12 | 700 | 17.9 |
| Bladenboro Primary | PK-4 | 435 | 15.5 |
| Bladenboro Middle | 5-8 | 275 | 18.3 |
Towns near Bladenboro
- Clarkton, NC8.7 mi · 614 people · home $140,100
- Elizabethtown, NC12.1 mi · 3,296 people · home $159,200
- Lumberton, NC14.2 mi · 19,025 people · home $152,600
- Barker Ten Mile, NC14.8 mi · 937 people · home $163,700
- Chadbourn, NC15.0 mi · 1,574 people · home $135,400
- Whiteville, NC15.5 mi · 4,766 people · home $187,500
- Fairmont, NC18.4 mi · 2,191 people · home $106,800
- Brunswick, NC18.6 mi · 973 people · home $82,500
Bladenboro questions
Is Bladenboro, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bladenboro scores better for retirees than 74% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 58%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Bladenboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Bladenboro is valued at $99,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,337, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $655 a month.
What is the weather like in Bladenboro?
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 1.2 inches of snow.
Does Bladenboro get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bladenboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 16, 2011. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)