Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 593, settled in 1908.
29% of residents are 65 or older in Bailey, against 18% in North Carolina’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Bailey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 195 in 1910, a peak of 795 in 1960, 568 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1902 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bailey, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bailey.
Most working residents leave Bailey for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2013, Bailey has added 53 jobs, to 337 in 2023. At $60,000, Bailey’s median household income is where North Carolina’s towns sit at $69,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000.
| Bailey | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.7% | 6.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Nash County Public Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bailey ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 580 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Bailey has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Bailey is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Bailey home is worth about $275,000, up 0.8% in a year, 17% below the North Carolina typical home. Bailey’s median rent is $814 a month.
| Bailey | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $814 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
16 crimes were reported in Bailey in 2025: 12 property and 4 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Bailey is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Bailey beats the North Carolina average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 33% of Bailey adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Bailey | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 10% | 8.1% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 16% |
| What stands out | Bailey | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.7% | 13.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Strickland Park | — | 2 |
| 2. Bailey NC United Methodist Church Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Bailey
About 1 of every 100 Bailey residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Where Bailey’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in North Carolina, United States
Bailey is a town in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 566 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bailey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Allen Bunn and Zonovan Knight.