Person County, North Carolina | |
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 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
| Motto: "Everything is Better in Person" | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNorth Carolina | |
| Coordinates:36°23′N78°58′W / 36.39°N 78.97°W /36.39; -78.97 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  North Carolina |
| Founded | 1792 |
| Named after | Thomas Person |
| Seat | Roxboro |
| Largest community | Roxboro |
| Area | |
• Total | 404.39 sq mi (1,047.4 km2) |
| • Land | 392.34 sq mi (1,016.2 km2) |
| • Water | 12.05 sq mi (31.2 km2) 2.98% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 39,097 |
• Estimate (2024) | 40,143 |
| • Density | 99.65/sq mi (38.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 13th |
| Website | www |
Person County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNorth Carolina. The population was 39,097 as of the2020 census.[1] Thecounty seat isRoxboro.[2]
Person County is included in theDurham-Chapel Hill, NCMetropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in theRaleigh-Durham-Cary, NC Combined Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 2,368,947 in 2023.[3]
Thecolonial government established Person County as part ofEdgecombe County in 1746. County designations kept changing, and it was part ofGranville County from 1746 to 1752; included inOrange County until 1778; and part ofCaswell County until 1791/1792. By dividing Caswell County into two squares–each side measuring approximately twenty 20 mi (30 km) in length, the state formed two counties of 400 square miles (1,000 km2) each. The county was named afterBrigadier GeneralThomas Person, aRevolutionary War patriot, who made significant contributions to Person County and surrounding areas.
The area was first inhabited byNative Americans more than 10,000 years ago. An ancient lithic quarry, theTwo Dogs Site, is located in present-day Person County, North Carolina.[4]
The Indigenous tribes encountered here by early Spanish explorers were generallySiouan language-speaking, including theSaponi,Occaneechi, and other groups.
Settlement by immigrants ofScots-Irish,English,French Huguenot,German, andfree Black ancestry began in the mid-18th and continued into the 19th centuries.[5][6][7] The majority of settlers were yeoman farmers, and few owned any slaves.
Religious affiliation in the county reflects the early settlers and is predominantlyProtestant. Due to Person County's nearness to Virginia, the Carolina coast, and theAppalachian foothills, a wide variety ofSouthern American English dialects can be heard here, includingVirginia Piedmont, Coastal Southern, South Midland, andAfrican-American English.
The county was named for Brigadier GeneralThomas Person, aRevolutionary War patriot, who made significant contributions to Person County and surrounding areas. He was a trustee of theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His generous donations were recognized by the construction and naming of Person Hall.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Moore, Deputy Quartermaster General of the Hillsborough district, was another Revolutionary War hero, commanding the Person County militia at the disastrousBattle of Camden. He was captured and held on the prison shipTorbay. In 1775-1776 he had purchased property in the south of Person County and named his plantation Mt. Tirzah. His home, constructed in 1778, has been renovated recently. Stephen Moore was buried in the family cemetery.
During theCivil War, Person County supplied between 800 and 1000 soldiers to theConfederate Army. A granite monument at the Courthouse honors E. Fletcher Satterfield, who carried theConfederate flag atGettysburg.
J.A. Long, W.W. Kitchin, A.R. Foushee, J.S. Bradsher, J.C. Pass, W.F. Reade, and R.E. Long were key leaders who helped make a transition to a more diversified economic base after the Civil War. The arrival of the newly constructedNorfolk and Western Railroad was a major influence around 1890, as it enabled the addition of tobacco processing plants and warehouses to the rural economy. Although the processing plants disappeared many years ago, a few of the warehouses still stand.
J.A. Long established Peoples Bank in 1891 and theRoxboro Cotton Mill in 1899, later known as Tultex Yarns. His home at Roxboro, theJames A. and Laura Thompson Long House, was added to theNational Register of Historic Places in 2005.[8] Long died in 1915 but was succeeded by his son, J.A. Long, Jr., who began attracting new business to Roxboro. Baker Company opened here in 1923, making textile manufacturing a major contributor to the local economy for decades. Baker was merged withCollins and Aikman Corporation (C&A), becoming a major industry in Person County for several decades before closing in August 2006. Textile manufacturers have moved to other locations in the US and overseas.
Residential and commercial development have grown steadily over the past few years in part due to the county's location near Treyburn Corporate Park in northern Durham County, home to numerous companies and theResearch Triangle region. The Hyco Lake area and southern portion of the county have had an influx of new home and commercial development in the late 20th and early 21st century.
GKN Driveline closed its Timberlake, NC plant in 2024 eliminating 500 jobs locally to consolidate North American machining and assembly operations into itsAlamance County facility. The business opened in January 1994.
TheHolloway-Walker Dollarhite House,Henry-Vernon House,Burleigh, andWaverly Plantation are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places outside Roxboro.[8]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 404.39 square miles (1,047.4 km2), of which 392.34 square miles (1,016.2 km2) is land and 12.05 square miles (31.2 km2) (2.98%) is water.[9]
Person County contains parts of three major river basins: theNeuse, theRoanoke and theTar, providing essential clean drinking water to the south and east of the state. The origin of the Tar River is in southeast Person County. In the northwest section of the county isHyco Lake, withMayo Reservoir in the northeast section. Both lakes are used for electrical power generation and recreation. Near the western border withCaswell County is Lake Roxboro. Part of the Neuse River begins here with theFlat River, where it combines with theLittle andEno rivers to go intoFalls Lake and create the Neuse.
TheUwharrie Mountains, part of North Carolina's easternmost mountain range, are the oldest mountain range inNorth America. They are the lowest mountain range in the state. The Uwharries begin inMontgomery County and terminate at Hager's Mountain in the hills of northern Person County.
The county is largely covered by rolling hills divided by farmlands and forest. The area's ridges are not narrow and sharp like those in some parts of thePiedmont, and the gullies and ditches are not as abrupt. The northern part of the county between the lakes is skirted by aplateau. The highest point of the county is a prominent hill in Roxboro, where the county seat has located its water reservoir tank. Person County claims three small mountains. Hager's Mountain is north of Roxboro. Red Mountain and Mt. Tirzah are in the southeastern part of the county. Thegeology of the county is dominated byigneous formation, overlaid by a variety of soils.Granite boulders are strewn across the county.
Interstate 85 is the closestinterstate highway to the county, located 29 miles south inDurham.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport, located 42 miles (68 km) south of Roxboro.Piedmont Triad International Airport, located 82 miles (132 km) southwest of Roxboro.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 6,402 | — | |
| 1810 | 6,642 | 3.7% | |
| 1820 | 9,029 | 35.9% | |
| 1830 | 10,027 | 11.1% | |
| 1840 | 9,790 | −2.4% | |
| 1850 | 10,781 | 10.1% | |
| 1860 | 11,221 | 4.1% | |
| 1870 | 11,170 | −0.5% | |
| 1880 | 13,719 | 22.8% | |
| 1890 | 15,151 | 10.4% | |
| 1900 | 16,685 | 10.1% | |
| 1910 | 17,356 | 4.0% | |
| 1920 | 18,973 | 9.3% | |
| 1930 | 22,039 | 16.2% | |
| 1940 | 25,029 | 13.6% | |
| 1950 | 24,361 | −2.7% | |
| 1960 | 26,394 | 8.3% | |
| 1970 | 25,914 | −1.8% | |
| 1980 | 29,164 | 12.5% | |
| 1990 | 30,180 | 3.5% | |
| 2000 | 35,623 | 18.0% | |
| 2010 | 39,464 | 10.8% | |
| 2020 | 39,097 | −0.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 40,143 | [11] | 2.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14] 1990–2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[1] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[17] | Pop 2010[18] | Pop 2020[19] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 24,277 | 26,354 | 25,132 | 68.15% | 66.78% | 64.28% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 10,018 | 10,599 | 9,879 | 28.12% | 26.86% | 25.27% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 215 | 244 | 240 | 0.60% | 0.62% | 0.61% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 53 | 115 | 124 | 0.15% | 0.29% | 0.32% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 45 | 51 | 121 | 0.13% | 0.13% | 0.31% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 265 | 504 | 1,398 | 0.74% | 1.28% | 3.58% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 746 | 1,593 | 2,195 | 2.09% | 4.04% | 5.61% |
| Total | 35,623 | 39,464 | 39,097 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, there were 39,097 people, 15,896 households, and 10,695 families residing in the county. The median age was 45.2 years, with 20.8% of residents under the age of 18 and 20.7% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.6 males age 18 and over.[20]
The racial makeup of the county was 65.4%White, 25.4%Black or African American, 0.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 3.2% from some other race, and 5.0% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.6% of the population.[21]
24.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 75.7% lived in rural areas.[22]
There were 16,176 households in the county, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.5% were married-couple households, 18.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]
There were 18,284 housing units, of which 11.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.7% were owner-occupied and 27.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.[20]
At the2010 census,[23] there were 39,464 people, 15,826 households, and 10,979 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 91 people per square mile (35 people/km2). There were 15,504 housing units at an average density of 40 units per square mile (15 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 68.1%White, 28.3%Black, 0.61%Native American, 0.15%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 1.37% fromother races, and 0.86% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 2.09% of the population.
There were 14,085 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% weremarried couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,559 and the median income for a family was $54,474. Males had a median income of $30,970 versus $22,804 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $22,189. About 9.4% of families and 12.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.
Person County is a member of theKerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments. The county government is administered by an elected county commission, and county law enforcement is administered by an electedsheriff and his officers. The county is politically conservative and Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Person County sinceJimmy Carter in1980. Before being won byGeorge Wallace in1968, Person County had been part of the Democratic "Solid South", voting Democrat in most elections between1880 and1964, except the elections in1892 and1908, with six consecutive Democratic presidential nominees receiving 75 percent of the county's vote between1932 and1952.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 784 | 43.85% | 820 | 45.86% | 184 | 10.29% |
| 1916 | 917 | 49.04% | 953 | 50.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 1,566 | 48.75% | 1,646 | 51.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 1,025 | 39.36% | 1,576 | 60.52% | 3 | 0.12% |
| 1928 | 1,123 | 47.63% | 1,235 | 52.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 660 | 21.65% | 2,372 | 77.80% | 17 | 0.56% |
| 1936 | 384 | 11.70% | 2,898 | 88.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 432 | 11.77% | 3,239 | 88.23% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 607 | 19.49% | 2,507 | 80.51% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 480 | 12.79% | 3,087 | 82.28% | 185 | 4.93% |
| 1952 | 1,374 | 24.36% | 4,266 | 75.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,740 | 33.64% | 3,433 | 66.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,926 | 30.91% | 4,305 | 69.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,162 | 31.32% | 4,740 | 68.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,138 | 24.17% | 2,644 | 29.89% | 4,065 | 45.95% |
| 1972 | 5,941 | 71.89% | 2,246 | 27.18% | 77 | 0.93% |
| 1976 | 3,038 | 43.20% | 3,977 | 56.55% | 18 | 0.26% |
| 1980 | 3,281 | 43.55% | 4,111 | 54.57% | 142 | 1.88% |
| 1984 | 5,854 | 62.30% | 3,528 | 37.54% | 15 | 0.16% |
| 1988 | 4,832 | 56.00% | 3,777 | 43.78% | 19 | 0.22% |
| 1992 | 4,460 | 43.60% | 4,323 | 42.26% | 1,447 | 14.14% |
| 1996 | 4,883 | 48.68% | 4,540 | 45.26% | 607 | 6.05% |
| 2000 | 6,722 | 56.81% | 5,042 | 42.61% | 69 | 0.58% |
| 2004 | 8,973 | 58.98% | 6,198 | 40.74% | 43 | 0.28% |
| 2008 | 10,030 | 53.83% | 8,446 | 45.33% | 156 | 0.84% |
| 2012 | 10,496 | 54.94% | 8,418 | 44.06% | 192 | 1.00% |
| 2016 | 11,185 | 57.02% | 7,833 | 39.93% | 597 | 3.04% |
| 2020 | 13,184 | 60.22% | 8,465 | 38.66% | 245 | 1.12% |
| 2024 | 13,509 | 61.30% | 8,295 | 37.64% | 232 | 1.05% |
Elected officials in Person County (as of 2024):[25][26][27][28][29]
The economy of Person County is dominated by electrical, textile, administrative, manufacturing, aerodynamics, viticulture, brokering, food processing, automotive, aluminum and paper products. Diversification from traditional flue cured tobacco to include burley tobacco and other modes of agriculture is underway.
Person County is home to two industrial parks: Person County Business and Industrial Center (PCBIC), located on Durham Road(US 501), and North Park, located north of Roxboro on North Park Drive.
Person County is also near Treyburn Corporate Park in northern Durham County, home to several companies.
Person County offers a strategic location for business and industry, as it is within an hour's drive of North Carolina's two major economic centers, theResearch Triangle (Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh) and thePiedmont Triad (Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point), and within a two-hour drive ofRichmond, Virginia.
Microsoft Corporation purchased the 1,350-acre Person County Mega Park in October 2024 for about $27 million.
The county's current largest employers areDuke Energy,Eaton Corporation,Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Polywood, Spuntech and Person County schools.
Public education is provided by the Person County School System and administers a single unified school district with a K-12 program. As of fiscal 2018–2019, the school system consists of:
| Name | Principal/Director | Mascot | Colors | Enrollment as of 2021-2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Bradsher Pre-School Center (Pre-K) | Treco Lea-Jeffers, Director | Shining Stars | 186 | |
| Early Intervention & Family Services (Pre-K) | Dana Faulkner, Director | |||
| Helena Elementary (K-5) | Sherita Fuller, Principal | Hornets | Black, yellow | 500 |
| North Elementary (K-5) / Carolina Community Academy | Nell Sydnor-Waugh / Renee Carmon, Principal | Eagles | Red, gold, orange | 217 |
| North End Elementary (K-5) | Melody Wilson, Principal | Jets | Red, blue | 179 |
| Oak Lane Elementary (K-5) | Heather Bowling, Principal | Cougars | Green, white | 223 |
| Stories Creek Elementary (K-5) | Dusty Martin, Principal | Gators | Green, yellow | 377 |
| South Elementary (K-5) | Whitney Sharlow, Principal | Shooting Stars | Orange, yellow | 356 |
| Woodland Elementary (K-5) | Dwayne Johnson, Principal | Lakers | Blue, white | 213 |
| Northern Middle (6-8) | Ashley Warren, Principal | Raiders | Purple, blue, black | 418 |
| Southern Middle (6-8) | Patrick Holmes, Principal | Panthers | Blue, white | 485 |
| Person High (9-12) | Michelle Honeycutt, Principal | Rockets | Blue, white, cardinal | 1,080 |
| Person County Learning Academy (6-10) | Rhonda Daye, Director | 50 | ||
| Person County Schools Virtual Academy (4-12) | Dr. Tisha Duncan, Principal | 134 | ||
| Person Early College for Innovation & Leadership | Shirlrona Johnson, Principal | Mavericks | Green, White, Orange | 151 |
The State of North Carolina also provides for a certain number ofcharter schools. These are administered separately from the Person County School System. Roxboro has two charter schools:
Geographic data related toPerson County, North Carolina atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Person County, North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofPerson County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Greater Durham–Chapel Hill metropolitan region (Durham MSA, part of theResearch Triangle) | ||
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