Bladen County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Bladen County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Bladen County Well below averageLess wealthy than 85% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bladen County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $41,756 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,596 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.9% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.9% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bladen County is about 42% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Bladen County (4.1%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Bladen County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bladen County, North Carolina grew by 35.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $41,756 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bladen County
| Metric | Bladen County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.562 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,470 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,960 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.0% | 16.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bladen County, it is 0.562, higher than North Carolina's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Bladen County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $262,850 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bladen County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2011, and was narrowest at 6% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $227 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Bladen County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.1% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 648 people are unemployed in Bladen County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Bladen County is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bladen County, North Carolina has fallen from 11.6% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.9% in 2014 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2023.
Bladen County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bladen County, NC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 29,571 residents against a local median of 116,854. Bladen County, NC's median household income, at $41,756, runs 21% below the $52,596 typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $34,656 on median household income, so Bladen County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bladen County, NC has the 6th highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bladen County, NC | 29,571 | $41,756 #6/6 | 4.1%/yr #4/6 | 5.4% #4/6 | 0.562 #5/6 |
| Columbus County, NC | 50,166 | $49,633 | 4.2%/yr | 4.4% | 0.559 |
| Sampson County, NC | 59,467 | $52,596 | 4.7%/yr | 5.2% | 0.538 |
| Cumberland County, NC | 338,542 | $61,555 | 4.1%/yr | 6.1% | 0.535 |
| Robeson County, NC | 116,854 | $42,419 | 3.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.573 |
| Brunswick County, NC | 152,554 | $77,075 | 5.8%/yr | 4.6% | 0.512 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bladen County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than North Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bladen County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Bladen County, North Carolina?
Bladen County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $41,756, about 42% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Bladen County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bladen County, North Carolina rose 35%, from $30,843 to $41,756. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +35% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Bladen County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bladen County, North Carolina was $44,520, up 10% from $40,574 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Bladen County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bladen County, North Carolina was $37,825. By 2024 it had risen 10% to $41,756.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bladen County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Bladen County is 0.562. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bladen County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bladen County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2011, and was narrowest at 6% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $227 since 2009.
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