Town · North Carolina
Chadbourn, North Carolina
Chadbourn, town, in Columbus County, North Carolina. Chadbourn had 1,539 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,574 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,352 (±387). GEOID 3711640.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,539
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,574 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,352 ±387
Median household income
$45,787
±$20,993 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$135,400
±$27,898 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$770
±$231 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Chadbourn and what county is it in?
Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina. It covers 2.6 square miles of land, 605 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chadbourn, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,539 people lived in Chadbourn on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, while North Carolina grew 7.2%. The 2020 Census counted 1,574 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,352 (±387).
| Measure | Chadbourn | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,352 ±387 | 50,140 | −653 |
| Households | 615 ±134 | 20,048 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.18 ±0.43 | 2.39 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 814 ±150 | 23,563 | −259 |
Chadbourn's population since 2000
From 2,129 in 2000 to 1,539 in 2025: down 27.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chadbourn as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chadbourn?
The median resident of Chadbourn is 49.3 years old; 15.9% are under 18 and 18.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 56.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 33.7%.
| Measure | Chadbourn | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3 ±12.8 | 42.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.9% ±10.1 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.5% ±6.6 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Male | 47.2% ±11.7 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.6% ±2.8 pts | 5.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 33.7% ±11.3 pts | 58.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 56.1% ±13.3 pts | 28.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 6.1% ±4.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±3.0 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.6% ±2.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.8% ±3.5 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.5% ±5.0 pts | 6.7% | – |
| With a disability | 18.0% ±9.4 pts | 17.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.5% ±10.4 pts | 12.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.9% ±4.6 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.5% ±4.3 pts | 14.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.4% ±1.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.6% ±6.3 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4% ±2.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chadbourn earn?
Half of Chadbourn's 615 households earn less than $45,787 a year (±$20,993), against $49,442 in Columbus County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $28,358 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 30.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chadbourn | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,787 ±$20,993 | $49,442 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,916 ±$17,181 | $67,260 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,208 ±$9,666 | $27,773 | +$10,876 |
| People below the poverty line | 30.6% ±12.7 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.4% ±3.9 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 42.4% ±12.5 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 85.7% ±7.5 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.5% ±8.7 pts | 83.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chadbourn?
Owners occupy 54.3% of Chadbourn's occupied homes and renters 45.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $135,400 by its owner (±$27,898). The median renter pays $770 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Chadbourn | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $135,400 ±$27,898 | $146,000 | +$47,775 |
| Median gross rent | $770 ±$231 | $824 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.5% ±16.0 pts | 39.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,551 ±$142 | $1,245 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.3% ±12.4 pts | 71.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.7% ±12.4 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Housing units | 814 ±150 | 23,563 | −259 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±1.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.4% ±6.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.4% ±11.0 pts | 62.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 17.0% ±9.6 pts | 30.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.4% ±6.1 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.3% ±8.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 26.2% ±11.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Chadbourn work and get to work?
80.7% of Chadbourn's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 39.4 minutes.
| Measure | Chadbourn | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 42.9% ±11.9 pts | 50.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±8.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.7% ±12.4 pts | 83.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.0% ±10.4 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 4.3% ±7.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.1% ±3.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 39.4 min ±11.6 | 29.3 min | +16.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chadbourn?
No census tract lies mostly in Chadbourn; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9307Columbus County | 3,687 | $42,676 |
| Tract 9309Columbus County | 4,053 | $25,789 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chadbourn) · Census block assignment files
How does Chadbourn compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chadbourn is the 8,637th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 290th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Chadbourn ranks 351st of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 290th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 302nd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 325th | 443 |
| Median household income | 351st | 434 |
| Per capita income | 221st | 443 |
| Median home value | 389th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 337th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 38th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 415th | 421 |
| Median age | 73rd | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 336th | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 7th | 439 |
Chadbourn's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Chadbourn with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chadbourn?
22 of the 57 figures for Chadbourn on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chadbourn are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Chadbourn.