Pender County, North Carolina

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Pender County
U.S. county
Pender County Courthouse in Burgaw, North Carolina
Pender County Courthouse in Burgaw, North Carolina
Map of North Carolina highlighting Pender County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°31′N 77°53′W / 34.51°N 77.89°W / 34.51; -77.89
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1875
Named forWilliam Dorsey Pender
SeatBurgaw
Largest townBurgaw
Area
 • Total933 sq mi (2,420 km2)
 • Land870 sq mi (2,300 km2)
 • Water63 sq mi (160 km2)  6.8%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
63,060
 • Density60/sq mi (20/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.pendercountync.gov

Pender County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,217.[1] Its county seat is Burgaw.[2] Pender County is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History[]

The county was formed in 1875 from New Hanover County. It was named for William Dorsey Pender of Edgecombe County, a Confederate general mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.[3] It is in the southeastern section of the state and is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, Bladen, Sampson, Duplin, and Onslow Counties. The present land area is 870.76 square miles (2,255.3 km2) and the 2010 population was 52,196, which has nearly doubled since 1990. The estimated county population in 2019 has increased to 63,060. [4] The county commissioners were ordered to hold their first meeting at Rocky Point. The act provided for the establishment of the town of Cowan as the county seat. In 1877, an act was passed repealing that section of the law relative to the town, and another law was enacted whereby the qualified voters were to vote on the question of moving the county seat to South Washington or any other place which the majority of the voters designated. Whatever place was selected, the town should be called Stanford. In 1879, Stanford was changed to Burgaw, which was by that law incorporated. It is the county seat. A slave cemetery that was used by the community of Cardinal Acres up until about 1950 was disturb by a developer grading a site in 2021.[5]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 933 square miles (2,420 km2), of which 870 square miles (2,300 km2) is land and 63 square miles (160 km2) (6.8%) is water.[6] It is the fifth-largest county in North Carolina by land area.

Adjacent counties[]

  • Duplin County — north
  • Onslow County — northeast
  • New Hanover County — south
  • Brunswick County — south
  • Columbus County — southwest
  • Bladen County — west
  • Sampson County — northwest

Protected areas[]

Major highways[]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
188012,468—
189012,5140.4%
190013,3816.9%
191015,47115.6%
192014,788−4.4%
193015,6866.1%
194017,71012.9%
195018,4234.0%
196018,5080.5%
197018,149−1.9%
198022,21522.4%
199028,85529.9%
200041,08242.4%
201052,21727.1%
2019 (est.)63,060[7]20.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 41,082 people, 16,054 households, and 11,719 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile (18/km2). There were 20,798 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile (9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.74% White, 23.58% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.03% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 3.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,054 households, out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.20% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,902, and the median income for a family was $41,633. Males had a median income of $31,424 versus $21,623 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,882. About 9.50% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government[]

Pender County is a member of the regional . The government is run by a board of commissioners with a county manager.

Presidential Voting History[]

Pender County is a strong Republican county, it has voted with the party since 1996. In the 1992 U.S presidential election, Democratic nominee Bill Clinton won the county. In the 2016 U.S presidential election, Republican nominee Donald Trump won the county with 63.3% of the vote, over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's 33.5%.

Presidential elections results

Communities[]

Map of Pender County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Towns[]

Village[]

Census-designated places[]

Other unincorporated communities[]

Townships[]

  • Burgaw
  • Canetuck
  • Caswell
  • Columbia
  • Grady
  • Holly
  • Long Creek
  • Rocky Point
  • Topsail
  • Union

Education[]

The county is served by Pender County Schools.

Notable people[]

  • John Baptista Ashe, born in Rocky Point township, delegate to the Continental Congress[14]
  • John Baptista Ashe, born in Rocky Point township, nephew of the above, United States Congressman from North Carolina[14]
  • William Shepperd Ashe, born in Rocky Point township, United States Congressman from North Carolina[14]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ Proffitt, Martie (Apr 17, 1983). "Local history offers tasty tidbits". Star-News. pp. 8C. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  4. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Pender County, North Carolina; United States". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  5. ^ Simmonsy, Kassie (March 16, 2021). "African American grave site disturbed by subdivision development". WECT. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  7. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved Feb 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  10. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

External links[]

Coordinates: 34°31′N 77°53′W / 34.51°N 77.89°W / 34.51; -77.89

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