Nash County, North Carolina
Nash County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,970.[1] Its county seat is Nashville.[2]
Nash County | |
|---|---|
Nash County Courthouse in Nashville | |
Flag Seal Logo | |
| Motto: "Where Business meets Opportunity" | |
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina | |
North Carolina's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 35°58′N 77°59′W / 35.97°N 77.99°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| Founded | 1777 |
| Named for | Francis Nash |
| Seat | Nashville |
| Largest city | Rocky Mount |
| Area | |
| • Total | 543 sq mi (1,410 km2) |
| • Land | 540 sq mi (1,400 km2) |
| • Water | 2.4 sq mi (6 km2) 0.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 94,970 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 95,789 |
| • Density | 175.9/sq mi (67.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | nashcountync |
Nash County is part of the Rocky Mount, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Nash County was formed in 1777 from Edgecombe County. It was named for American Revolutionary War Brigadier General Francis Nash, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Germantown that year.
In 1855, parts of Nash, Edgecombe, Johnston, and Wayne Counties were combined to form Wilson County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 543 square miles (1,410 km2), of which 540 square miles (1,400 km2) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) (0.4%) is covered by water.[3]
State and local protected areas
Major water bodies
- Fishing Creek
- Moccasin Creek
- Pig Basket Creek
- Sapony Creek
- Stony Creek
- Swift Creek
- Tar River
- Tar River Reservoir
- Toisnot Swamp
- Turkey Creek
Adjacent counties
- Franklin County - west
- Johnston County - southwest
- Wake County - southwest
- Wilson County - south
- Edgecombe County - east
- Halifax County - northeast
- Warren County - north
Major highways
-
Future I-87 - I-95
-
Future I-587 - US 64
-
US 64 Alt. -
US 64 Bus. (Nashville) -
US 64 Bus. (Rocky Mount) - US 264
-
US 264 Alt. - US 301
-
US 301 Bus. - NC 4
- NC 33
- NC 43
-
NC 43 Bus. - NC 48
- NC 56
- NC 58
- NC 97
- NC 98
- NC 231
- NC 561
- NC 581
Major infrastructure
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 7,390 | — | |
| 1800 | 6,975 | −5.6% | |
| 1810 | 7,268 | 4.2% | |
| 1820 | 8,185 | 12.6% | |
| 1830 | 8,490 | 3.7% | |
| 1840 | 9,047 | 6.6% | |
| 1850 | 10,657 | 17.8% | |
| 1860 | 11,687 | 9.7% | |
| 1870 | 11,077 | −5.2% | |
| 1880 | 17,731 | 60.1% | |
| 1890 | 20,707 | 16.8% | |
| 1900 | 25,478 | 23.0% | |
| 1910 | 33,727 | 32.4% | |
| 1920 | 41,061 | 21.7% | |
| 1930 | 52,782 | 28.5% | |
| 1940 | 55,608 | 5.4% | |
| 1950 | 59,919 | 7.8% | |
| 1960 | 61,002 | 1.8% | |
| 1970 | 59,122 | −3.1% | |
| 1980 | 67,153 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 76,677 | 14.2% | |
| 2000 | 87,420 | 14.0% | |
| 2010 | 95,840 | 9.6% | |
| 2020 | 94,970 | −0.9% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 95,789 | [6] | 0.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[11] 2020[12] | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 46,317 | 48.77% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 36,679 | 38.62% |
| Native American | 615 | 0.65% |
| Asian | 904 | 0.95% |
| Pacific Islander | 28 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 3,105 | 3.27% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7,322 | 7.71% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 94,970 people, 37,574 households, and 27,002 families residing in the county.
2000 census
As of the census[14] of 2000, 87,420 people, 33,644 households, and 23,920 families resided in the county. The population density was 162 people per square mile (63 people/km2). The 37,051 housing units averaged 69 units per square mile (27 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 61.94% White, 33.93% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.06% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. About 3.36% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 33,644 households, 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were not families. About 25% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was distributed as 25.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,147, and for a family was $44,769. Males had a median income of $32,459 versus $24,438 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,863. About 10.30% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 15.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
From the turn of the 20th century North Carolina established barriers that effectively disfranchised the large black population, which had been supporting Republican candidates. Conservative whites voted overwhelmingly Democratic and the county and state were part of the resulting political "Solid South" county. Although it gave a plurality to Populist candidate James B. Weaver in 1892, unlike Sampson County or Alabama's Chilton County, it did not subsequently turn to the Republican Party.
Nash County would vote Democratic in every election from 1896 to 1964 – in Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman's five elections, the Republicans never received eleven percent of the county's limited electorate's ballots. Many whites supported George Wallace's American Independent candidacy in 1968, after passage of the Voting Rights Act. More voted Republican for the first time in 1972.
While Nash voters supported favorite son and Southern Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976, the county's majority white voters shifted to Republican candidates from 1980 to 2004. But the last four elections have been closely contested. The margin of victory has been less than 1,000 votes in every election since.[15][16]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 25,827 | 49.41% | 25,947 | 49.64% | 497 | 0.95% |
| 2016 | 23,319 | 48.92% | 23,235 | 48.75% | 1,111 | 2.33% |
| 2012 | 23,842 | 49.17% | 24,313 | 50.14% | 337 | 0.69% |
| 2008 | 23,728 | 50.36% | 23,099 | 49.02% | 291 | 0.62% |
| 2004 | 21,902 | 58.14% | 15,693 | 41.66% | 78 | 0.21% |
| 2000 | 17,995 | 58.97% | 12,376 | 40.56% | 142 | 0.47% |
| 1996 | 15,309 | 54.17% | 11,142 | 39.42% | 1,811 | 6.41% |
| 1992 | 14,446 | 48.34% | 10,809 | 36.17% | 4,631 | 15.50% |
| 1988 | 15,906 | 64.34% | 8,740 | 35.35% | 76 | 0.31% |
| 1984 | 17,295 | 66.73% | 8,588 | 33.14% | 34 | 0.13% |
| 1980 | 11,043 | 56.34% | 8,184 | 41.75% | 374 | 1.91% |
| 1976 | 8,477 | 48.12% | 8,937 | 50.73% | 202 | 1.15% |
| 1972 | 12,679 | 71.39% | 4,503 | 25.35% | 579 | 3.26% |
| 1968 | 4,602 | 24.08% | 5,283 | 27.64% | 9,230 | 48.29% |
| 1964 | 6,396 | 41.11% | 9,163 | 58.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,896 | 27.86% | 10,086 | 72.14% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,665 | 21.09% | 9,969 | 78.91% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,636 | 20.18% | 10,424 | 79.82% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 684 | 7.98% | 7,590 | 88.50% | 302 | 3.52% |
| 1944 | 876 | 10.36% | 7,577 | 89.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 613 | 6.76% | 8,456 | 93.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 517 | 5.62% | 8,682 | 94.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 532 | 6.61% | 7,472 | 92.79% | 49 | 0.61% |
| 1928 | 2,066 | 32.72% | 4,249 | 67.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 823 | 20.16% | 3,129 | 76.63% | 131 | 3.21% |
| 1920 | 1,556 | 27.85% | 4,031 | 72.15% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1916 | 826 | 27.22% | 2,189 | 72.15% | 19 | 0.63% |
| 1912 | 172 | 6.49% | 1,862 | 70.21% | 618 | 23.30% |
Nash County is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments.
Sheriff
The Sheriff's Office provides police services for the unincorporated areas of the county.
Communities
Cities
- Rocky Mount (largest city, parts located in Edgecombe County)
Towns
- Bailey
- Castalia
- Dortches
- Middlesex
- Momeyer
- Nashville (county seat)
- Red Oak
- Spring Hope
- Sharpsburg (part)
- Whitakers (part)
- Zebulon (part)
Unincorporated community
Townships
- Bailey
- Battleboro
- Castalia
- Coopers
- Dry Wells
- Ferrells
- Griffins
- Jackson
- Mannings
- Nashville
- North Whitakers
- Oak Level
- Red Oak
- Rocky Mount
- Spring Hope
- South Whitakers
- Stony Creek
See also
- List of counties in North Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Nash County, North Carolina
- Haliwa-Saponi, state-recognized tribe that resides in the county
- Nash Community College, located near Nashville
References
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Nash County, North Carolina". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ . United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Nash County, North Carolina". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 27, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Nash County, North Carolina". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Anatomy of a swing state: What these 6 counties tell us about the upcoming NC election". The Charlotte Observer. November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
External links
- Geographic data related to Nash County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
- Official website
- NCGenWeb Nash County - free genealogy resources for the county