United States › North Carolina › Bailey CITY
Bailey North Carolina · 593 residents (2025 est.) · 0.70 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Bailey is a city of 422 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 47.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. There are 248 fewer people here than in 2000. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $155,700. Median rent is $814 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 670 in 2000
593 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
601 / sq mi
−46%since 2009
from 1,118 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
379 490 601 711 822 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Bailey Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $60,208
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,328 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,910 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.391 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 4.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Professional, scientific, technical 0%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$155,700
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$814
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $408 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.0% in 2000
41.7% rent
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.45 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 34.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 66.4%(445)
Hispanic / Latino 10.7%(72)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 49.1%(207)
Hispanic / Latino 26.3%(111)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 84.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 8.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 10%(4)
Share of the 40 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Bailey, North Carolina? Bailey, North Carolina has about 422 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Bailey, North Carolina? The typical household in Bailey, North Carolina earns about $60,208 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Bailey, North Carolina expensive? In Bailey, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $155,700, and the typical rent is about $814 a month.
How educated are people in Bailey, North Carolina? About 14.8% of adults age 25 and over in Bailey, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Bailey, North Carolina? About 17.8% of people in Bailey, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Bailey, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Bailey, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 121 residents, a change of about -22 percent over that period.
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