Northampton County, North Carolina

Northampton County, North Carolina
Blue Star Memorial Highway plaque at Interstate 95 North Carolina Welcome Center in Pleasant Hill Township.

Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Northampton County
Location in the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded 1741
Named for James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton
Seat Jackson
Largest town Garysburg
Area
 • Total 551 sq mi (1,427 km2)
 • Land 537 sq mi (1,391 km2)
 • Water 14 sq mi (36 km2), 2.5%
Population
 • (2010) 22,099
 • Density 41/sq mi (16/km2)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Eastern: UTC−5/−4
Website www.northamptonnc.com

Northampton County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,099.[1] Its county seat is Jackson.[2]

Northampton County is part of the Roanoke Rapids, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids, NC Combined Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1741 from Bertie County. It was named for James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton. In 1759 parts of Northampton County, Bertie County, and Chowan County were combined to form Hertford County.

In 1959, the county went to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the use of a literacy test as a requirement to vote. In Lassiter v. Northampton County Board of Elections, the court held that, provided the tests were applied equally to all races and were not "merely a device to make racial discrimination easy," they were allowable.[3] Congress subsequently prohibited use of such tests under the National Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 551 square miles (1,430 km2), of which 537 square miles (1,390 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.5%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
17909,992—
180012,35323.6%
181013,0825.9%
182013,2421.2%
183013,3911.1%
184013,369−0.2%
185013,335−0.3%
186013,3720.3%
187014,74910.3%
188020,03235.8%
189021,2426.0%
190021,150−0.4%
191022,3235.5%
192023,1843.9%
193027,16117.2%
194028,2994.2%
195028,4320.5%
196026,811−5.7%
197024,009−10.5%
198022,584−5.9%
199020,798−7.9%
200022,0866.2%
201022,0990.1%
Est. 201620,000[5]−9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 22,099 people residing in the county; 58.4% were Black or African American, 39.2% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.8% of some other race and 1.0% of two or more races. 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 22,086 people, 8,691 households, and 5,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.43% Black or African American, 39.09% White, 0.32% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,691 households out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.50% were married couples living together, 18.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,652, and the median income for a family was $34,648. Males had a median income of $27,970 versus $21,183 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,413. About 17.00% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.80% of those under age 18 and 21.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

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

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Townships

  • Gaston
  • Jackson
  • Kirby
  • Occoneechee
  • Pleasant Hill
  • Rich Square
  • Roanoke
  • Seaboard
  • Wiccanee

Law and government

Northampton County is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments.

Politics

Northampton is a traditionally Democratic county, being one of only two counties in the state won by George McGovern during his 1972 landslide loss.[11] Apart from several contiguous counties in South Texas;[a] Northampton County is the only county in the United States to vote Democrat at every election over the past century;[12] the last Democratic candidate to lose the county was William Jennings Bryan in 1896.[13] Apart from Hubert Humphrey and McGovern who received no more than 51 percent, every Democratic nominee in the past century has received at least 61 percent of the county’s vote.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 36.4% 3,582 62.4% 6,144 1.2% 122
2012 32.4% 3,483 67.2% 7,232 0.4% 41
2008 34.6% 3,671 65.0% 6,903 0.4% 44
2004 36.2% 3,176 63.7% 5,584 0.1% 10
2000 32.5% 2,667 67.2% 5,513 0.2% 20
1996 25.1% 1,881 69.4% 5,207 5.5% 411
1992 23.2% 1,845 65.2% 5,195 11.6% 927
1988 34.3% 2,415 65.4% 4,599 0.3% 19
1984 38.4% 3,198 61.2% 5,094 0.5% 38
1980 26.9% 1,847 71.9% 4,933 1.2% 81
1976 19.4% 1,238 80.2% 5,118 0.4% 23
1972 47.7% 2,997 51.5% 3,233 0.8% 52
1968 10.9% 860 51.4% 4,072 37.7% 2,986
1964 19.0% 1,187 81.0% 5,046
1960 12.5% 678 87.5% 4,756
1956 15.0% 747 85.0% 4,242
1952 11.9% 583 88.1% 4,334
1948 4.6% 179 92.2% 3,591 3.2% 126
1944 4.7% 172 95.3% 3,470
1940 2.7% 105 97.3% 3,826
1936 2.8% 109 97.2% 3,785
1932 4.3% 147 95.5% 3,243 0.2% 7
1928 20.9% 456 79.1% 1,723
1924 7.9% 144 91.2% 1,662 0.9% 17
1920 6.7% 165 93.3% 2,305
1916 2.9% 45 97.1% 1,518
1912 3.3% 57 93.7% 1,625 3.1% 53

Northampton County is part of North Carolina's 1st congressional district, which has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+9 and has been represented by a Democratic Congressman since 1899. It is currently represented by G. K. Butterfield. In the North Carolina House of Representatives, Northampton County lies within the 27th District, which also covers Halifax County and is represented by Democrat Michael H. Wray. In the North Carolina Senate, Northampton County lies within the 3rd Senate District, represented by Democrat Erica Smith-Ingram.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Lassiter v. Northampton County Board of Elections, 360 U.S. 45 (1959). Findlaw.com; retrieved 2010-12-07.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. ↑ David Leip’s Presidential Atlas (Maps for North Carolina by election)
  12. ↑ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine, June 29, 2016
  13. ↑ "Presidential election of 1896 - Map by counties". geoelections.free.fr. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  14. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-16.

Notes

a South Texas counties voting Democrat at every election since before World War I comprise (going clockwise from the north) Webb, Duval, Jim Hogg, Brooks and Starr Counties

Coordinates: 36°25′N 77°24′W / 36.42°N 77.40°W / 36.42; -77.40

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