Pamlico County, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Pamlico County Courthouse in Bayboro | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNorth Carolina | |
| Coordinates:35°09′N76°40′W / 35.15°N 76.67°W /35.15; -76.67 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  North Carolina |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Named after | Pamlico Sound |
| Seat | Bayboro |
| Largest community | Bayboro |
| Area | |
• Total | 561.63 sq mi (1,454.6 km2) |
| • Land | 336.52 sq mi (871.6 km2) |
| • Water | 225.11 sq mi (583.0 km2) 40.08% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 12,276 |
• Estimate (2024) | 12,550 |
| • Density | 36.45/sq mi (14.07/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
PamlicoCounty (/ˈpæmlɪkoʊ/PAM-lik-oh) is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNorth Carolina. As of the2020 census, the population was 12,276.[1] Itscounty seat isBayboro.[2] Pamlico County is part of theNew Bern, NCMicropolitan Statistical Area.
The area eventually comprising Pamlico County was first settled by European colonists in the early 1700s. As its swampy land proved hostile to agriculture, population in the land grew slowly and early residents relied heavily on thenaval stores trade. The first communities coalesced in the early 1800s.[3] The area experienced economic growth during theReconstruction era.[4]
Pamlico County was formed by white supremacists in theNorth Carolina General Assembly in 1872 from eastern portions ofBeaufort andCraven counties to further their political interests.[3] It was named for thePamlico Sound, which adjoins it, which itself was named for a Native American tribe.[5] According to David Leroy Corbitt, the county court convened at a storeVandemere until 1876, when the town of Bayboro was designated the county seat.[5] Historian Joe Mobley states that the court's location varied until Bayboro was designated.[3] Portions of Beaufort County were annexed by Pamlico in 1874, 1875, and 1891, while a portion of Craven was annexed in 1875.[6] The county court met in rented facilities in Bayboro until the county's first purpose built courthouse was constructed in 1893. The present courthouse was built by theWorks Progress Administration in 1939.[3]
The completion of thePamlico, Oriental & Western Railroad connectingNew Bern in Craven County and the Pamlico town of Oriental in 1906 facilitated growth.[3] The county is anchored on the east by Oriental, a popular waystation for boaters traveling theIntracoastal Waterway, and by unincorporated Lowland.New Bern across the county line in Craven County to the west, is the primary trade area for Pamlico County.[7] The unincorporated community of Olympia is in the western portion of the county.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 561.63 square miles (1,454.6 km2), of which 336.52 square miles (871.6 km2) is land and 225.11 square miles (583.0 km2) (40.08%) is water.[8] Pamlico County is the only County in North Carolina to not have anyU.S highways or Interstates that pass through it.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 6,323 | — | |
| 1890 | 7,146 | 13.0% | |
| 1900 | 8,045 | 12.6% | |
| 1910 | 9,966 | 23.9% | |
| 1920 | 9,060 | −9.1% | |
| 1930 | 9,299 | 2.6% | |
| 1940 | 9,706 | 4.4% | |
| 1950 | 9,993 | 3.0% | |
| 1960 | 9,850 | −1.4% | |
| 1970 | 9,467 | −3.9% | |
| 1980 | 10,398 | 9.8% | |
| 1990 | 11,372 | 9.4% | |
| 2000 | 12,934 | 13.7% | |
| 2010 | 13,144 | 1.6% | |
| 2020 | 12,276 | −6.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 12,550 | [10] | 2.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010[15] 2020[1] | |||
Census reports show a marked drop of nearly 10 percent in county population from 1910 to 1920, the period of theGreat Migration of African Americans from rural areas of the South to northern and midwestern industrial cities offering more economic and social opportunities. Workers were recruited by northern industries, including the Pennsylvania Railroad, which was rapidly expanding at the time.
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[16] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 9,384 | 9,828 | 9,104 | 72.55% | 74.77% | 74.16% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,167 | 2,618 | 2,055 | 24.49% | 19.92% | 16.74% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 66 | 72 | 58 | 0.51% | 0.55% | 0.47% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 49 | 48 | 50 | 0.38% | 0.37% | 0.41% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 10 | 5 | 0.02% | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 9 | 6 | 51 | 0.07% | 0.05% | 0.42% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 86 | 150 | 457 | 0.66% | 1.14% | 3.72% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 171 | 412 | 496 | 1.32% | 3.13% | 4.04% |
| Total | 12,934 | 13,144 | 12,276 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, there were 12,276 people, 5,193 households, and 3,589 families residing in the county.[19][1]
The median age was 54.6 years. 14.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 31.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.2 males age 18 and over.[19]
The racial makeup of the county was 75.1%White, 16.8%Black or African American, 0.5%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 5.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.0% of the population.[20]
Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[21]
There were 7,118 housing units, of which 27.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.5% were owner-occupied and 19.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.6%.[19]
At the2000 census, there were 12,934 people, 5,178 households, and 3,717 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 6,781 housing units at an average density of 20 units per square mile (7.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.17%White, 24.57%Black orAfrican American, 0.53%Native American, 0.38%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.59% fromother races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,178 households, out of which 25.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% weremarried couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% 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 2.81.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.10% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 28.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 101.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,084, and the median income for a family was $41,659. Males had a median income of $31,806 versus $21,344 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,005. About 11.80% of families and 15.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.20% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.
The county is a member of the regionalEastern Carolina Council of Governments.
Pamlico County is governed by an elected, seven-member Board of Commissioners.[22]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 74 | 6.62% | 694 | 62.13% | 349 | 31.24% |
| 1916 | 527 | 41.99% | 710 | 56.57% | 18 | 1.43% |
| 1920 | 1,008 | 43.94% | 1,286 | 56.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 459 | 36.52% | 798 | 63.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 1,099 | 55.59% | 878 | 44.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 665 | 29.35% | 1,526 | 67.34% | 75 | 3.31% |
| 1936 | 860 | 34.58% | 1,627 | 65.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 730 | 33.52% | 1,448 | 66.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 719 | 35.70% | 1,295 | 64.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 685 | 31.18% | 1,370 | 62.36% | 142 | 6.46% |
| 1952 | 903 | 38.74% | 1,428 | 61.26% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 954 | 40.94% | 1,376 | 59.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,061 | 38.47% | 1,697 | 61.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,036 | 35.72% | 1,864 | 64.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 745 | 21.46% | 1,280 | 36.87% | 1,447 | 41.68% |
| 1972 | 1,847 | 66.11% | 919 | 32.89% | 28 | 1.00% |
| 1976 | 1,068 | 33.28% | 2,113 | 65.85% | 28 | 0.87% |
| 1980 | 1,504 | 39.55% | 2,224 | 58.48% | 75 | 1.97% |
| 1984 | 2,554 | 54.14% | 2,152 | 45.62% | 11 | 0.23% |
| 1988 | 2,297 | 50.98% | 2,188 | 48.56% | 21 | 0.47% |
| 1992 | 1,929 | 38.77% | 2,229 | 44.80% | 817 | 16.42% |
| 1996 | 2,270 | 47.39% | 2,204 | 46.01% | 316 | 6.60% |
| 2000 | 2,999 | 57.21% | 2,188 | 41.74% | 55 | 1.05% |
| 2004 | 3,679 | 60.93% | 2,335 | 38.67% | 24 | 0.40% |
| 2008 | 3,823 | 56.96% | 2,838 | 42.28% | 51 | 0.76% |
| 2012 | 4,051 | 59.91% | 2,647 | 39.15% | 64 | 0.95% |
| 2016 | 4,258 | 61.98% | 2,448 | 35.63% | 164 | 2.39% |
| 2020 | 4,849 | 63.54% | 2,713 | 35.55% | 69 | 0.90% |
| 2024 | 5,229 | 65.56% | 2,676 | 33.55% | 71 | 0.89% |
By the requirements of the North Carolina Constitution of 1868, the county was divided into 5 townships, which are only numbered:
Geographic data related toPamlico County, North Carolina atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Pamlico County, North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofPamlico County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated community | ||
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