Northampton County, Virginia | |
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 Flag | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofVirginia | |
 Virginia's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:37°18′03″N75°55′43″W / 37.30078°N 75.92854°W /37.30078; -75.92854 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| Founded | 1642 |
| Seat | Eastville |
| Largest town | Exmore |
| Area | |
• Total | 795 sq mi (2,060 km2) |
| • Land | 212 sq mi (550 km2) |
| • Water | 584 sq mi (1,510 km2) 73.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 12,282 |
| • Density | 57.9/sq mi (22.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
Northampton County is acounty located in theCommonwealth of Virginia. As of the2020 census, the population was 12,282.[1] Itscounty seat isEastville.[2] Northampton andAccomack Counties are a part of the largerEastern Shore of Virginia.
The county is the center of the lateEocene meteor strike that resulted in theChesapeake Bay impact crater. TheNorthampton County Courthouse Historic District is part of theEastville Historic District at the county seat.
WhenEnglish colonists first arrived in the area in the early 1600s, theVirginia Eastern Shore region was governed byDebedeavon (aka "The Laughing King"), who was theparamount chief of theAccomac people, which numbered around 2,000 at the time. The former name of the county wasAccomac Shire, one of the original eightshires of Virginia created in 1634 after the founding of the first settlement atJamestown in 1607. In 1642, the name was changed to Northampton County by the colonists. In 1663, Northampton County was split into two counties that still exist today. The northern two-thirds took the original "Accomac" name (Accomack County), while the southern third to the PointCape Charles remained as Northampton.[citation needed]
Northampton County is notable for a colonial court case involving anindentured servant. The firstfree negro (a term used prior to the abolition of slavery) in North America wasAnthony Johnson of Northampton County. Johnson was one of the first black Americans to own land in America.[3] In 1653, Johnson brought suit in Northampton County Court to argue that one of his servants,John Casor, was indentured to him for life. Casor had left him and was working for a neighbor. This was the first instance of a judicial determination in theThirteen Colonies holding that a person who had committed no crime could be held in servitude for life.[4]
This court ruling decision also gives insight to how owners of indentured servants could easily choose to ignore the expiration of indentured contracts and force their servants into lifetime slavery. Although Casor, an African, had well-known white planters taking his part, he was reduced to lifetime slavery. Some planters sought more profitable methods of labor by taking advantage of Negro indentured servants, who had little recourse in the legal and social system to protect their rights.[5]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 795 square miles (2,060 km2), of which 212 square miles (550 km2) is land and 584 square miles (1,510 km2) (73.4%) is water.[6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 6,889 | — | |
| 1800 | 6,763 | −1.8% | |
| 1810 | 7,474 | 10.5% | |
| 1820 | 7,705 | 3.1% | |
| 1830 | 8,641 | 12.1% | |
| 1840 | 7,715 | −10.7% | |
| 1850 | 7,498 | −2.8% | |
| 1860 | 7,832 | 4.5% | |
| 1870 | 8,046 | 2.7% | |
| 1880 | 9,152 | 13.7% | |
| 1890 | 10,313 | 12.7% | |
| 1900 | 13,770 | 33.5% | |
| 1910 | 16,672 | 21.1% | |
| 1920 | 17,852 | 7.1% | |
| 1930 | 18,565 | 4.0% | |
| 1940 | 17,597 | −5.2% | |
| 1950 | 17,300 | −1.7% | |
| 1960 | 16,966 | −1.9% | |
| 1970 | 14,442 | −14.9% | |
| 1980 | 14,625 | 1.3% | |
| 1990 | 13,061 | −10.7% | |
| 2000 | 13,093 | 0.2% | |
| 2010 | 12,389 | −5.4% | |
| 2020 | 12,282 | −0.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010[11] 2020[12] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[11] | Pop 2020[12] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 6,755 | 6,932 | 54.52% | 56.44% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,491 | 3,756 | 36.25% | 30.58% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 26 | 58 | 0.21% | 0.47% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 81 | 80 | 0.65% | 0.65% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 8 | 0.02% | 0.07% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 15 | 30 | 0.12% | 0.24% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 145 | 350 | 1.17% | 2.85% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 874 | 1,068 | 7.05% | 8.70% |
| Total | 12,389 | 12,282 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census[13] of 2010, there were 12,389 people, 5,321 households, and 3,543 families residing in the county. The population density was 63 people per square mile (24 people/km2). There were 6,547 housing units at an average density of 32 units per square mile (12 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 57.9%White, 36.5%Black orAfrican American, 0.2%Native American, 0.7%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 3.2% fromother races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 7.1% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
The largest ancestry groups in Northampton County include:African American (36%),English American (15%),German (7%),Irish (6%) andItalian (3%)
There were 5,321 households, out of which 25.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.30% were married couples living together, 17.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 29.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 23.30% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 21.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 87.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,276, and the median income for a family was $385,034. Males had a median income of $26,842 versus $21,839 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,591. About 15.80% of families and 20.50% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 29.20% of those under age 18 and 16.50% of those age 65 or over.
Northampton County is home to the United States' oldest continuous court records.
STAR Transit providespublic transit services for both Northampton and Accomack counties.
Northampton County Public Schools operates public schools in the county. High schoolers in Northampton county are served by Northampton High School.
Northampton County leans towards theDemocratic Party. In presidential elections, it has voted for the Democratic nominee every time since 1992. However, it has been shifting toward theRepublican Party, with the party improving in its percentage share since2008, as well as narrowing margins, except in2020.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 83 | 9.37% | 726 | 81.94% | 77 | 8.69% |
| 1916 | 109 | 11.85% | 802 | 87.17% | 9 | 0.98% |
| 1920 | 217 | 18.42% | 954 | 80.98% | 7 | 0.59% |
| 1924 | 180 | 15.53% | 941 | 81.19% | 38 | 3.28% |
| 1928 | 688 | 42.39% | 935 | 57.61% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 298 | 18.90% | 1,264 | 80.15% | 15 | 0.95% |
| 1936 | 277 | 22.07% | 975 | 77.69% | 3 | 0.24% |
| 1940 | 359 | 29.23% | 866 | 70.52% | 3 | 0.24% |
| 1944 | 381 | 25.52% | 1,108 | 74.21% | 4 | 0.27% |
| 1948 | 525 | 29.86% | 997 | 56.71% | 236 | 13.42% |
| 1952 | 1,307 | 50.12% | 1,289 | 49.42% | 12 | 0.46% |
| 1956 | 1,264 | 51.03% | 1,132 | 45.70% | 81 | 3.27% |
| 1960 | 995 | 41.60% | 1,387 | 57.98% | 10 | 0.42% |
| 1964 | 1,586 | 51.11% | 1,516 | 48.86% | 1 | 0.03% |
| 1968 | 1,410 | 35.48% | 1,418 | 35.68% | 1,146 | 28.84% |
| 1972 | 2,587 | 66.45% | 1,246 | 32.01% | 60 | 1.54% |
| 1976 | 2,043 | 43.15% | 2,459 | 51.93% | 233 | 4.92% |
| 1980 | 2,165 | 45.65% | 2,363 | 49.82% | 215 | 4.53% |
| 1984 | 2,906 | 55.81% | 2,226 | 42.75% | 75 | 1.44% |
| 1988 | 2,562 | 52.00% | 2,242 | 45.50% | 123 | 2.50% |
| 1992 | 2,088 | 37.17% | 2,568 | 45.71% | 962 | 17.12% |
| 1996 | 1,763 | 35.63% | 2,569 | 51.92% | 616 | 12.45% |
| 2000 | 2,299 | 47.00% | 2,340 | 47.83% | 253 | 5.17% |
| 2004 | 2,669 | 48.54% | 2,775 | 50.46% | 55 | 1.00% |
| 2008 | 2,713 | 41.19% | 3,800 | 57.70% | 73 | 1.11% |
| 2012 | 2,676 | 41.23% | 3,741 | 57.63% | 74 | 1.14% |
| 2016 | 2,686 | 43.55% | 3,255 | 52.77% | 227 | 3.68% |
| 2020 | 2,955 | 43.89% | 3,667 | 54.47% | 110 | 1.63% |
| 2024 | 3,183 | 46.43% | 3,603 | 52.55% | 70 | 1.02% |
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Places adjacent to Northampton County, Virginia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofNorthampton County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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37°18′03″N75°55′43″W / 37.30078°N 75.92854°W /37.30078; -75.92854
