Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Chadbourn’s subject grades is a B+ for walkability; the weakest is a D− for health. Chadbourn’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 24 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 7 of North Carolina’s 450 towns score lower on health. The median household income is $46K, and 31% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 19 of North Carolina’s 451 towns score lower on the outdoors. Chadbourn's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 93% of U.S. towns. Westside High School is on the National Register of Historic Places. Chadbourn has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Chadbourn beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Chadbourn | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 18.8% | 8.1% |
1,856 counted in 2010 and 1,574 in 2020; an estimated 1,539 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Chadbourn is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 156 in 1890, a peak of 2,323 in 1960, 1,574 in 2020. The archive holds 13 old photos and papers going back to 1907 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chadbourn, 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 Chadbourn.
33% of Chadbourn adults say their health is fair or poor, above both North Carolina’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (19%). 18% of adults report frequent physical distress in Chadbourn. Among 290 North Carolina towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Chadbourn.
| Chadbourn | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 19% | 19% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 24% | 25% |
| What stands out | Chadbourn | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.1% | 14.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.5% | 76.7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 18.8% | 8.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Columbus County Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chadbourn ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 233 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
The typical Chadbourn home is worth about $174,000, up 7.9% in a year, 48% below the North Carolina typical home. 54% of Chadbourn households own their home.
| Chadbourn | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 54% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $770 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 88% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Chadbourn.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Chadbourn has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Chadbourn is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Chadbourn for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in Chadbourn fell to 495 in 2023, 381 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Whiteville (20%), Wilmington (5%) and Raleigh (3%).
| Chadbourn | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 6.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Chadbourn's reported crime rate is well above North Carolina's. Chadbourn’s violent crime rate is 8.5 per 1,000 residents. Among 154 North Carolina towns, just 5 have a higher property crime rate than Chadbourn.
| Chadbourn | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.5 per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 59.2 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Chadbourn
About 4 of every 100 Chadbourn residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Town in North Carolina, United States
Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,574 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.
That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($49,442 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.