Bladen County is a county in North Carolina, United States, on the state’s Coastal Plain along the Cape Fear River. It had a population of 29,606 at the 2020 census and covers 888 square miles (2,299 km2) centred near 34°35′N 78°32′W.
Elizabethtown is the county seat, and its postal code is 28337. The county has 7 incorporated towns, 3 census-designated places, and dozens of unincorporated rural communities. Bladen County observes Eastern time and has the fourth-largest land area of any county in North Carolina.
Towns & Villages in Bladen County
Bladen County’s 7 incorporated towns range from Elizabethtown, the county seat, to Tar Heel, home to fewer than 100 residents. Three more places carry U.S. Census Bureau designation as census-designated places (CDPs), and the county is dotted with dozens of unincorporated crossroads communities that never took formal town status.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | City · seat | 3,296 | 28337 |
| Bladenboro | Town | 1,648 | 28320 |
| White Lake | Town | 843 | — |
| Clarkton | Town | 614 | 28433 |
| East Arcadia | Town | 418 | — |
| Dublin | Town | 267 | 28332 |
| Tar Heel | Town | 90 | 28392 |
| Kelly | CDP | 446 | 28448 |
| White Oak | CDP | 346 | 28399 |
| Butters | CDP | 250 | — |
| Council | Unincorp. | — | 28434 |
| Abbottsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ammon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ammon Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baltimore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bladen Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bluefield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carvers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Center Road | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clarks Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Duart | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elkton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Emerson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fowler Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hickory Grove Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jerome | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Johnsontown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lagoon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lisbon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Long View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Olive | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Murphytown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newlight | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richardson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rosindale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rowan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ruskin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shingleford Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smith Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sparkleberry Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Suttons Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tobermory | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tolar Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westbrook | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yorick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zara | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 28337 — Elizabethtown (also serves East Arcadia and White Lake)
- 28320 — Bladenboro
- 28433 — Clarkton
- 28399 — White Oak
- 28392 — Tar Heel
- 28448 — Kelly
- 28434 — Council
- 28332 — Dublin (PO Box delivery only)
The smaller unincorporated communities scattered across the county’s rural interior share a ZIP code with their nearest post office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Bladen County sits in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain, flat and low-lying, crossed by the Cape Fear River along its eastern edge and drained by Big Swamp and the South River in the west. Of its 888 square miles, 875 are land and 13 are water — White Lake, the state’s largest and deepest Carolina bay lake, sits in the county’s north. Longleaf pine flatwoods and pocosin wetlands cover much of the county outside its cultivated farmland.
Bladen County borders Cumberland County to the north, Sampson County to the northeast, Pender County to the east, Columbus County to the south, and Robeson County to the west.
Demographics
Bladen County had 29,606 residents at the 2020 census, giving it a density of about 34 people per square mile — well below the North Carolina average. Elizabethtown and Bladenboro are the two largest communities, together holding roughly a sixth of the county’s population. Bladen County’s median household income runs well below the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting the county’s dependence on agricultural and food-processing wages.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture dominates Bladen County’s economy, and the county leads North Carolina in blueberry production. Just north of Tar Heel, Smithfield Foods operates the world’s largest pork processing plant, employing roughly 5,800 workers and anchoring the county’s largest single payroll. White Lake, ringed with cottages and small motels, draws summer visitors as one of the region’s oldest freshwater resort spots.
History
Bladen was created in 1734 as Bladen Precinct, one of the earliest divisions of the North Carolina colony, and became a county in 1739. It is named for Martin Bladen, a member of Britain’s Board of Trade and Plantations. At its founding the county’s territory was vast, stretching far into what is now the state’s southwestern interior, before later counties were carved from it over the following century.
Getting There
U.S. Route 701 runs the length of the county north–south, with NC highways 11, 20, 41, 53, 87, 131, 210, 211, and 242 crossing it in various directions.
- Fayetteville — 30 miles north
- Wilmington — 55 miles southeast
- Lumberton — 30 miles west
- Whiteville — 25 miles south
Fayetteville Regional Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Bladen County, North Carolina?
It is in the state’s southeastern Coastal Plain, between Fayetteville and Wilmington, crossed by the Cape Fear River.
What is the population of Bladen County?
29,606 at the 2020 census.
How big is Bladen County?
888 square miles (2,299 km2) total, of which 875 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Bladen County?
Elizabethtown is the county seat.
How many towns are in Bladen County?
Seven incorporated towns — Elizabethtown, Bladenboro, Clarkton, Dublin, East Arcadia, Tar Heel, and White Lake — plus three census-designated places and many unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Bladen County?
Eight ZIP codes cover the county, led by 28337 (Elizabethtown), 28320 (Bladenboro), and 28433 (Clarkton).
What is Bladen County known for?
Blueberry farming, White Lake resort tourism, and the Smithfield Foods pork plant near Tar Heel, the largest such facility in the world.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.