Town · North Carolina
Fair Bluff, North Carolina
Fair Bluff, town, in Columbus County, North Carolina. Fair Bluff had 737 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 709 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 695 (±234). GEOID 3722240.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
737
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 709 · ACS 2020-2024: 695 ±234
Median household income
$31,389
±$6,946 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$101,400
±$95,566 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$684
±$91 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Fair Bluff and what county is it in?
Fair Bluff is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina. It covers 2.4 square miles of land, 300 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 Fair Bluff, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 737 people lived in Fair Bluff on July 1, 2025, up 5.0% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 709 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 695 (±234).
| Measure | Fair Bluff | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 695 ±234 | 50,140 | no clear change |
| Households | 310 ±96 | 20,048 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.22 ±0.40 | 2.39 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 464 ±110 | 23,563 | no clear change |
Fair Bluff's population since 2000
From 1,181 in 2000 to 737 in 2025: down 37.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fair Bluff 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 Fair Bluff?
The median resident of Fair Bluff is 45.8 years old; 20.6% are under 18 and 20.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 62.6%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 19.6%.
| Measure | Fair Bluff | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 ±12.6 | 42.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.6% ±8.0 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.1% ±7.2 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Male | 47.8% ±10.4 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6% ±1.1 pts | 5.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 19.6% ±8.9 pts | 58.6% | −17.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 62.6% ±13.3 pts | 28.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 11.2% ±12.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±1.2 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±4.7 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.8% ±9.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.6% ±11.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.9% ±5.8 pts | 6.7% | – |
| With a disability | 22.0% ±6.7 pts | 17.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.4% ±7.0 pts | 12.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 77.8% ±12.0 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.9% ±11.0 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.9% ±7.4 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.3% ±11.0 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 11.5% ±10.9 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 Fair Bluff earn?
Half of Fair Bluff's 310 households earn less than $31,389 a year (±$6,946), against $49,442 in Columbus County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $24,710 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 28.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fair Bluff | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $31,389 ±$6,946 | $49,442 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $43,622 ±$8,439 | $67,260 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,976 ±$4,999 | $27,773 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 28.3% ±12.7 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 50.7% ±25.1 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.8% ±11.9 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.4% ±8.3 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 70.6% ±13.0 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 Fair Bluff?
Owners occupy 69.4% of Fair Bluff's occupied homes and renters 30.6%. The median renter pays $684 a month including utilities, and 53.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fair Bluff | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $101,400 ±$95,566 | $146,000 | – |
| Median gross rent | $684 ±$91 | $824 | +$358 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 53.7% ±27.9 pts | 39.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,133 ±$288 | $1,245 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.4% ±12.8 pts | 71.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.6% ±12.8 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Housing units | 464 ±110 | 23,563 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.7% ±4.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 30.7% ±20.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 53.2% ±10.3 pts | 62.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 29.3% ±9.9 pts | 30.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9% ±2.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.8% ±6.4 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.4% ±5.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.1% ±5.3 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 many new homes is Fair Bluff building?
Fair Bluff last reported building permits to the Census Bureau for 2024.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fair Bluff work and get to work?
91.5% of Fair Bluff's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.5 minutes.
| Measure | Fair Bluff | Columbus County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.8% ±10.9 pts | 50.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% ±3.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 91.5% ±8.9 pts | 83.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.5% ±8.9 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±12.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±12.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±12.5 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.5 min ±5.5 | 29.3 min | no clear change |
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 Fair Bluff?
No census tract lies mostly in Fair Bluff; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9306Columbus County | 3,052 | $58,186 |
| Tract 9305Columbus County | 4,040 | $52,575 |
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 Fair Bluff) · Census block assignment files
How does Fair Bluff compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fair Bluff is the 11,592nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 373rd-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Fair Bluff is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 373rd | 549 |
Fair Bluff's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Fair Bluff 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 Fair Bluff?
22 of the 57 figures for Fair Bluff 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 Fair Bluff 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 Fair Bluff.