Brunswick County, North Carolina

Brunswick County
Brunswick County
U.S. county
	Brunswick County Courthouse.
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
	North Carolina's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 34°02′N 78°13′W / 34.04°N 78.22°W
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1764
Named for	Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Seat	Bolivia
Largest town	Leland
Area
• Total	1,050 sq mi (2,700 km2)
• Land	847 sq mi (2,190 km2)
• Water	203 sq mi (530 km2) 19%%
Population
• Estimate (2019)	142,820
• Density	127/sq mi (49/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	7th
Website	www.brunswickcountync.gov

Coordinates: 34°02′N 78°13′W / 34.04°N 78.22°W / 34.04; -78.22

Brunswick County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 107,431.^[1] Its population was only 73,143 in 2000, making it one of the fastest growing counties in the state. With a nominal growth rate of about 47% in ten years, much of the growth is centered in the eastern section of the county in the suburbs of Wilmington such as Leland, Belville and Southport. A 2019 estimated population of 142,820 makes Brunswick the 4th-fastest-growing county in the country. The county seat is Bolivia, which at a population of around 150 people is among the least populous county seats in the state.^[2]

Brunswick County is included in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was formerly part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Brunswick County and Wilmington area leaders disputed the change, but unsuccessfully.^[3]

Much of the economy of the county is built around tourism, with beach communities lying along the south-facing beaches past Cape Fear such as Bald Head Island (the southernmost point of North Carolina) and Oak Island being popular destinations. Calabash, on the border of South Carolina, is renowned for its fried seafood, with "Calabash-style" restaurants dotting the region. The proximity to EUE/Screen Gems Studios in nearby Wilmington has made Brunswick County a popular filming location for many movies and TV shows.

History[]

The county was formed in 1764 from parts of Bladen County and New Hanover County. It was named for the colonial port of Brunswick Town (now in ruins) which itself was named for Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg; at the time held by the British kings of the House of Hanover.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,050 square miles (2,700 km²), of which 847 square miles (2,190 km²) is land and 203 square miles (530 km²) (19%) is water.^[4] It is the fourth-largest county in North Carolina by total area. The Brunswick River and the Cape Fear River provide access to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station is to the north of Southport.

Hydrogeology[]

The principal ground-water-supply sources for Brunswick County are the surficial aquifer for domestic supplies and the Castle Hayne aquifer for municipal supplies.^[5]

Beaches[]

Islands[]

Adjacent counties[]

Pender County - north
New Hanover County - east
Columbus County - west and northwest
Horry County, South Carolina - west

Major highways[]

I-140
US 17
US 74
US 76
US 421
NC 87
NC 130
NC 133
NC 179
NC 211
NC 904
NC 906

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	3,071		—
1800	4,110		33.8%
1810	4,778		16.3%
1820	5,480		14.7%
1830	6,516		18.9%
1840	6,255		−4.0%
1850	7,272		16.3%
1860	8,406		15.6%
1870	7,754		−7.8%
1880	9,389		21.1%
1890	10,900		16.1%
1900	12,657		16.1%
1910	14,432		14.0%
1920	14,876		3.1%
1930	15,818		6.3%
1940	17,125		8.3%
1950	19,238		12.3%
1960	20,278		5.4%
1970	24,223		19.5%
1980	35,777		47.7%
1990	50,985		42.5%
2000	73,143		43.5%
2010	107,431		46.9%
2019 (est.)	142,820	^[6]	32.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[7] 1790-1960^[8] 1900-1990^[9] 1990-2000^[10] 2010-2019^[1]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 73,143 people, 30,438 households, and 22,037 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile (33/km²). There were 51,431 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile (23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.30% White, 14.38% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.32% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 2.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 30,438 households, out of which 25.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.20% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 29.20% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,888, and the median income for a family was $42,037. Males had a median income of $30,138 versus $22,066 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,857. About 9.50% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.40% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

Communities[]

Map of Brunswick County, North Carolina, with municipal and township labels

Cities[]

Towns[]

Villages[]

Bald Head Island

Townships[]

Loc

Unincorporated communities[]

Politics, law and government[]

Brunswick County is a member of the regional . The county lies in the inner coastal plain, most of which was highly pro-secession and part of the Democratic “Solid South”. However, Brunswick County was less fertile than the “Black Belt” and consequently had significant pro-Union and Populist sympathies, with the result that the county frequently backed Republicans at state and local levels even when the state was consistently Democratic apart from Herbert Hoover’s 1928 victory. Only three times since the Civil War – Grover Cleveland in 1888, Alton B. Parker in 1904 and Jimmy Carter in 1980^[12] – has Brunswick County backed a losing Democratic presidential candidate. Carter in that 1980 election remains the last Democrat to win a majority of Brunswick County’s ballots, although Bill Clinton won a plurality in 1992.

show

Presidential elections results

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2013-05-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Wilmington disputes move
^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
^ Harden, Stephen L. (2003). Hydrogeology and Ground-water Quality of Brunswick County, North Carolina. Raleigh, NC: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 28, 2020.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
^ Melendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 265-270 ISBN 0786422173
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
^ http://geoelections.free.fr/. Retrieved January 13, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links[]

Media related to Brunswick County, North Carolina at Wikimedia Commons

Geographic data related to Brunswick County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
Official website

[QF-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2013.

[GR6-2] "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.

[3] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2013-05-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Wilmington disputes move

[GR1-4] "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.

[5] Harden, Stephen L. (2003). Hydrogeology and Ground-water Quality of Brunswick County, North Carolina. Raleigh, NC: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 3 February 2018.

[USCensusEst2019-6] "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 28, 2020.

[7] "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 12, 2015.

[8] "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 12, 2015.

[9] Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 12, 2015.

[10] "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2015.

[GR2-11] "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

[12] Melendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 265-270 ISBN 0786422173

[13] Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-14.

[14] ttp://geoelections.free.fr/. Retrieved January 13, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)

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Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2020	61.9% 55,850	36.9% 33,310	1.1% 1,015
2016	62.5% 42,720	34.1% 23,282	3.4% 2,349
2012	60.6% 34,743	38.4% 22,038	1.0% 581
2008	58.5% 30,753	40.6% 21,331	1.0% 524
2004	60.4% 22,925	39.2% 14,903	0.4% 149
2000	53.5% 15,427	45.5% 13,118	1.0% 294
1996	45.7% 10,065	45.6% 10,041	8.7% 1,917
1992	39.4% 8,833	45.4% 10,177	15.1% 3,390
1988	55.8% 10,007	43.9% 7,881	0.3% 51
1984	58.7% 9,673	41.1% 6,774	0.3% 41
1980	45.4% 5,897	52.0% 6,761	2.7% 345
1976	32.9% 3,636	66.7% 7,377	0.5% 53
1972	69.1% 6,153	28.1% 2,500	2.9% 256
1968	27.5% 2,404	34.0% 2,972	38.5% 3,358
1964	46.7% 3,721	53.3% 4,240
1960	40.4% 2,915	59.6% 4,305
1956	50.0% 3,299	50.0% 3,297
1952	50.1% 2,958	49.9% 2,951
1948	40.5% 1,896	43.8% 2,052	15.7% 735
1944	46.0% 1,997	54.0% 2,346
1940	35.9% 1,522	64.1% 2,717
1936	37.5% 1,625	62.5% 2,710
1932	44.3% 1,798	55.3% 2,245	0.4% 17
1928	65.5% 1,931	34.5% 1,018
1924	52.8% 1,296	45.5% 1,118	1.7% 41
1920	52.1% 1,362	47.9% 1,253
1916	54.9% 989	45.0% 810	0.1% 1
1912	18.5% 280	51.4% 777	30.1% 456
1908	58.1% 841	41.9% 607
1904	46.3% 487	53.7% 564
1900	53.9% 643	44.0% 525	2.2% 26
1896	40.7% 878	59.3% 1,279	0.1% 1
1892	23.7% 446	40.0% 755	36.3% 685
1888	48.4% 965	51.4% 1,023	0.2% 4
1884	50.2% 936	49.8% 928
1880	53.3% 889	44.8% 746	1.9% 32

show v t Municipalities and communities of Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
County seat: Bolivia
Cities	Boiling Spring Lakes Northwest Southport
Towns	Belville Bolivia Calabash Carolina Shores Caswell Beach Holden Beach Leland Navassa Oak Island Ocean Isle Beach Sandy Creek Shallotte St. James Sunset Beach Varnamtown
Village	Bald Head Island
Townships	Smithville
Unincorporated communities	Ash Half Hell Longwood Red Bug Sunset Harbor Supply Winnabow
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Major towns	Beaufort Boone Brevard Carrboro Clayton Cornelius Dunn Fuquay-Varina Harrisburg Holly Springs Hope Mills Huntersville Indian Trail Kernersville Knightdale Leland Matthews Midland Mint Hill Mooresville Morehead City Morrisville Mount Pleasant Oxford Shallotte Smithfield Southern Pines Tarboro Waynesville Winterville
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