The Town FilesClarkton, North Carolina
Town in Bladen County · population 614 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $140,100
- Household income
- $27,292
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 40.3
Clarkton is a town of 614 people in Bladen County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $140,100, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 99% of North Carolina towns, better for retirees than 89% of North Carolina towns, better transit than 82% of North Carolina towns.
How Clarkton 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 Clarkton is worth $140,100, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $27,292, which is more affordable than 15% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 66.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clarkton | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $140,100 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $969 |
| Median household income | $27,292 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 66.8% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Clarkton
| People | Clarkton | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 32.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.2% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 50.1% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 18.2% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 89.5% |
Weather in Clarkton
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 Clarkton since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 16, 2011 about 7.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 15, 2024.
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 Clarkton itself the ACS puts it at 10.2%.
Public schools in Clarkton
1 public school with 185 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarkton School of Discovery | 5-8 | 185 | 16.8 |
Towns near Clarkton
- Bladenboro, NC8.7 mi · 1,648 people · home $99,500
- Elizabethtown, NC9.6 mi · 3,296 people · home $159,200
- Whiteville, NC11.2 mi · 4,766 people · home $187,500
- Lake Waccamaw, NC14.4 mi · 1,296 people · home $305,900
- White Lake, NC14.6 mi · 843 people · home $235,300
- Chadbourn, NC14.9 mi · 1,574 people · home $135,400
- Brunswick, NC14.9 mi · 973 people · home $82,500
- Bolton, NC18.7 mi · 519 people · home $146,700
Clarkton questions
Is Clarkton, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clarkton scores better for retirees than 89% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 58%. 29.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Clarkton?
The median owner-occupied home in Clarkton is valued at $140,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $27,292, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Clarkton?
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 Clarkton get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkton 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)