Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,784.[1] The county seat is Wilson.[2] The county comprises the Wilson, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included within the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids, NC Combined Statistical Area.
Wilson County | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Seal  Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina | |
 North Carolina's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 35°42′N 77°55′W / 35.70°N 77.92°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  North Carolina |
| Founded | 1855 |
| Named for | Col. Louis D. Wilson |
| Seat | Wilson |
| Largest community | Wilson |
| Area | |
• Total | 373.10 sq mi (966.3 km2) |
| • Land | 367.57 sq mi (952.0 km2) |
| • Water | 5.53 sq mi (14.3 km2) 1.48% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 78,784 |
• Estimate (2023) | 78,970  |
| • Density | 210/sq mi (82/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 27542, 27557, 27803, 27807, 27813, 27822, 27829, 27830, 27851, 27852, 27873, 27878, 27880, 27883, 27888, 27893, 27895, 27896 |
| Area code | 252 |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
History
editOn February 13, 1855, the North Carolina General Assembly established Wilson County from parts of Edgecombe, Johnston, Nash, and Wayne counties.[3] The county was named for Colonel Louis D. Wilson, a U.S. Volunteers soldier, who died of yellow fever while on leave from the state senate during the Mexican–American War.[4]
Wilson Speedway held 12 NASCAR Cup Series races at the county fairgrounds in Wilson between 1951 and 1960. The half mile dirt track operated between 1934 and 1989.
Geography
edit
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 373.10 square miles (966.3 km2), of which 367.57 square miles (952.0 km2) is land and 5.53 square miles (14.3 km2) (1.48%) is water.[5]
State and local protected site
editMajor water bodies
edit- Black Creek
- Buckhorn Reservoir
- Contentnea Creek
- Lake Wilson[7]
- Silver Lake[8]
- Wiggins Mill Reservoir[9]
Adjacent counties
edit- Nash County – north
- Edgecombe County – northeast
- Pitt County – east
- Greene County – southeast
- Wayne County – south
- Johnston County – southwest
Major highways
edit
Major infrastructure
edit- Amtrak Thruway (Wilson Station)
- Wilson Industrial Air Center[10]
- Wilson Station
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 9,720 | — | |
| 1870 | 12,258 | 26.1% | |
| 1880 | 16,064 | 31.0% | |
| 1890 | 18,644 | 16.1% | |
| 1900 | 23,596 | 26.6% | |
| 1910 | 28,269 | 19.8% | |
| 1920 | 36,813 | 30.2% | |
| 1930 | 44,914 | 22.0% | |
| 1940 | 50,219 | 11.8% | |
| 1950 | 54,506 | 8.5% | |
| 1960 | 57,716 | 5.9% | |
| 1970 | 57,486 | −0.4% | |
| 1980 | 63,132 | 9.8% | |
| 1990 | 66,061 | 4.6% | |
| 2000 | 73,814 | 11.7% | |
| 2010 | 81,234 | 10.1% | |
| 2020 | 78,784 | −3.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 78,970 | [1] | 0.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010[15] 2020[1] | |||
2020 census
edit| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 36,106 | 45.83% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 29,842 | 37.88% |
| Native American | 239 | 0.3% |
| Asian | 900 | 1.14% |
| Pacific Islander | 10 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,663 | 3.38% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9,024 | 11.45% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 78,784 people, 32,384 households, and 19,760 families residing in the county. The population density was 199 people per square mile (77 people/km2). There were 30,729 housing units at an average density of 83 units per square mile (32 units/km2). There were 28,613 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.10% were married couples living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,116, and the median income for a family was $41,551. Males had a median income of $30,364 versus $21,997 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,102. About 13.80% of families and 18.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.70% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
editWilson County government is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments. It has several law-enforcement agencies:
- Wilson County Sheriff's Office
- Wilson Police Department (City of Wilson)
- Stantonsburg Police Department (Town of Stantonsburg)
- Black Creek Police Department (Town of Black Creek)
- Sharpsburg Police Department (Town of Sharpsburg)
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 19,750 | 49.32% | 19,909 | 49.72% | 386 | 0.96% |
| 2020 | 19,581 | 48.07% | 20,754 | 50.95% | 400 | 0.98% |
| 2016 | 17,531 | 45.97% | 19,663 | 51.56% | 941 | 2.47% |
| 2012 | 17,954 | 45.91% | 20,875 | 53.38% | 280 | 0.72% |
| 2008 | 17,375 | 46.72% | 19,652 | 52.84% | 164 | 0.44% |
| 2004 | 16,264 | 53.26% | 14,206 | 46.52% | 65 | 0.21% |
| 2000 | 13,466 | 54.24% | 11,266 | 45.38% | 94 | 0.38% |
| 1996 | 10,518 | 49.03% | 9,779 | 45.59% | 1,154 | 5.38% |
| 1992 | 10,176 | 44.36% | 10,105 | 44.06% | 2,656 | 11.58% |
| 1988 | 10,997 | 57.11% | 8,214 | 42.65% | 46 | 0.24% |
| 1984 | 12,243 | 59.31% | 8,343 | 40.42% | 57 | 0.28% |
| 1980 | 8,329 | 49.86% | 8,042 | 48.14% | 333 | 1.99% |
| 1976 | 6,795 | 45.05% | 8,209 | 54.42% | 80 | 0.53% |
| 1972 | 12,060 | 73.04% | 4,166 | 25.23% | 286 | 1.73% |
| 1968 | 4,053 | 25.13% | 4,173 | 25.87% | 7,903 | 49.00% |
| 1964 | 5,002 | 40.87% | 7,238 | 59.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,114 | 27.97% | 8,021 | 72.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,830 | 25.36% | 8,328 | 74.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,569 | 22.83% | 8,684 | 77.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 665 | 9.55% | 6,008 | 86.25% | 293 | 4.21% |
| 1944 | 769 | 10.61% | 6,480 | 89.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 584 | 6.87% | 7,912 | 93.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 549 | 6.80% | 7,522 | 93.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 517 | 7.69% | 6,153 | 91.55% | 51 | 0.76% |
| 1928 | 1,933 | 35.35% | 3,535 | 64.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 574 | 17.53% | 2,619 | 79.99% | 81 | 2.47% |
| 1920 | 1,374 | 28.21% | 3,496 | 71.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1916 | 730 | 26.24% | 2,052 | 73.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 82 | 3.44% | 1,741 | 73.03% | 561 | 23.53% |
Communities
edit
City
edit- Wilson (county seat and largest community)
Towns
edit- Black Creek
- Elm City
- Kenly (part)
- Lucama
- Saratoga
- Sims
- Stantonsburg
- Sharpsburg (part)
Townships
edit- Black Creek
- Cross Roads
- Gardners
- Old Fields
- Saratoga
- Springhill
- Stantonsburg
- Taylors
- Toisnot
- Wilson
Unincorporated communities
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "QuickFacts: Wilson County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Public Laws of the State of North-Carolina, Passed by the General Assembly, at its Session of 1854–'55: Together with the Comptroller's Statement of Public Revenue and Expenditure. Raleigh: Holden & Wilson. 1855. p. 30. LCCN 83644405 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Lichtenstein, Gaston (1911). Louis D. Wilson, Mexican War Martyr, also, Thos. H. Hall, Andrew Johnson as he Really was, and, Our Town Common; Four Articles. Richmond, Va.: H. T. Ezekiel. p. 7. OCLC 1127629. OL 14021029M – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
- ^ "Home | Tobacco Farm Life Museum, Inc". Tobacco Farm Life Mu. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ "Parks & Shelters". www.wilsonnc.org. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ Novak, Steven. "Fish Silver Lake - Wilson County, North Carolina". Lake-Link. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ "Parks & Shelters". www.wilsonnc.org. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ "Wilson Industrial Air Center | Wilson, NC". www.wilsonnc.org. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
External links
edit
Geographic data related to Wilson County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap- Official website
- Wilson County Genealogical Society
