Duplin County | |
|---|---|
 Duplin County Courthouse in Kenansville | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNorth Carolina | |
 North Carolina's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:34°56′N77°56′W / 34.93°N 77.93°W /34.93; -77.93 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  North Carolina |
| Founded | 1750 |
| Named after | Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin |
| Seat | Kenansville |
| Largest community | Wallace |
| Area | |
• Total | 820.22 sq mi (2,124.4 km2) |
| • Land | 814.72 sq mi (2,110.1 km2) |
| • Water | 5.50 sq mi (14.2 km2) 0.67% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 48,715 |
• Estimate (2024) | 50,539 |
| • Density | 59.8/sq mi (23.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Duplin County (/ˈduːp.lɪn/DOOP-lin)[1][2] is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNorth Carolina. As of the2020 census, its population was 48,715.[3] Itscounty seat isKenansville.[4]
The county was formed in 1750 fromNew Hanover County. It was named forThomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (later 9th Earl of Kinnoull),[5] as he was known when he served on theBoard of Trade and Plantations in England in the 1740s.[6]
In 1784, the western part of Duplin County becameSampson County.
John Miller, a merchant in Duplin, was appointed as postmaster. In the 19th century, he migrated toLeon County in the panhandle ofFlorida, with other North Carolinians during the period ofIndian Removal in the 1830s–1840s. There, he developed a successfulcotton plantation. He called itMiccosukee Plantation, after one of theSeminole bands. (They are now a federally recognized tribe.)
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 820.22 square miles (2,124.4 km2), of which 5.50 square miles (14.2 km2) (0.67%) are covered by water.[7]
Duplin County is located in thehumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa) zone, with mostly moderate temperatures year round. Winters are mild across Duplin, with the warmest winter temperatures found in the southeastern areas of the county due to the influence of the nearbyAtlantic Ocean. The average high temperature in January is around 55 °F (13 °C). Summers are hot and humid, with the hottest summer temperatures found in the northern areas of Duplin County. The average high temperature in July is around 90 °F (32 °C).[9]
TheUSDAhardiness zone for Duplin County is Zone 8A (10 °F to 15 °F or -12 °C to -9 °C).[10]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 5,663 | — | |
| 1800 | 6,796 | 20.0% | |
| 1810 | 7,863 | 15.7% | |
| 1820 | 9,744 | 23.9% | |
| 1830 | 11,291 | 15.9% | |
| 1840 | 11,182 | −1.0% | |
| 1850 | 13,514 | 20.9% | |
| 1860 | 15,784 | 16.8% | |
| 1870 | 15,542 | −1.5% | |
| 1880 | 18,773 | 20.8% | |
| 1890 | 18,690 | −0.4% | |
| 1900 | 22,405 | 19.9% | |
| 1910 | 25,442 | 13.6% | |
| 1920 | 30,223 | 18.8% | |
| 1930 | 35,103 | 16.1% | |
| 1940 | 39,739 | 13.2% | |
| 1950 | 41,074 | 3.4% | |
| 1960 | 40,270 | −2.0% | |
| 1970 | 38,015 | −5.6% | |
| 1980 | 40,952 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 39,995 | −2.3% | |
| 2000 | 49,063 | 22.7% | |
| 2010 | 58,505 | 19.2% | |
| 2020 | 48,715 | −16.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 50,539 | [11] | 3.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14] 1990–2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[3] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 24,945 | 51.21% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 11,437 | 23.48% |
| Native American | 154 | 0.32% |
| Asian | 155 | 0.32% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.01% |
| Other/multiracial | 1,207 | 2.48% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 10,813 | 22.2% |
As of the2020 census, 48,715 people, 21,466 households, and 14,504 families resided in the county.
At the2000 census,[18] 49,063 people, 18,267 households, and 13,060 families were residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 60 people per square mile (23 people/km2). The 20,520 housing units had an average density of 25 units per square mile (9.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 58.67% White, 28.94% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 10.87% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. About 15.14% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 18,267 households, 33.2% had children under 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the county, the age distribution was 26.1% under 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,890, and for a family was $34,760. Males had a median income of $26,212 versus $20,063 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,499. About 15.30% of families and 19.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.50% of those under age 18 and 22.70% of those 65 or over.
Duplin County is a member of the regionalEastern Carolina Council of Governments. It is represented by Senator William Brent Jackson,[19] a Republican member of theNorth Carolina Senate, in the10th district andJimmy Dixon, a Republican member of theNorth Carolina House of Representatives, in the4th district.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 33 | 1.15% | 1,757 | 61.46% | 1,069 | 37.39% |
| 1916 | 1,527 | 45.57% | 1,824 | 54.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 2,697 | 44.25% | 3,398 | 55.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 1,542 | 34.24% | 2,924 | 64.93% | 37 | 0.82% |
| 1928 | 2,911 | 52.37% | 2,647 | 47.63% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,173 | 19.94% | 4,674 | 79.46% | 35 | 0.60% |
| 1936 | 1,546 | 20.58% | 5,966 | 79.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 1,260 | 18.94% | 5,394 | 81.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 1,437 | 20.82% | 5,464 | 79.18% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,024 | 14.18% | 5,866 | 81.25% | 330 | 4.57% |
| 1952 | 2,115 | 24.86% | 6,392 | 75.14% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,110 | 23.34% | 6,931 | 76.66% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,953 | 28.89% | 7,269 | 71.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 3,821 | 34.77% | 7,169 | 65.23% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,724 | 22.22% | 3,451 | 28.16% | 6,082 | 49.62% |
| 1972 | 7,153 | 70.61% | 2,857 | 28.20% | 120 | 1.18% |
| 1976 | 3,912 | 33.45% | 7,696 | 65.81% | 86 | 0.74% |
| 1980 | 5,403 | 41.34% | 7,524 | 57.57% | 142 | 1.09% |
| 1984 | 7,708 | 52.96% | 6,830 | 46.93% | 17 | 0.12% |
| 1988 | 5,774 | 49.24% | 5,945 | 50.70% | 7 | 0.06% |
| 1992 | 5,286 | 38.45% | 6,816 | 49.58% | 1,645 | 11.97% |
| 1996 | 5,432 | 43.83% | 6,179 | 49.86% | 781 | 6.30% |
| 2000 | 7,840 | 54.48% | 6,475 | 45.00% | 75 | 0.52% |
| 2004 | 9,611 | 57.96% | 6,923 | 41.75% | 49 | 0.30% |
| 2008 | 10,834 | 54.43% | 8,958 | 45.01% | 112 | 0.56% |
| 2012 | 11,416 | 55.44% | 9,033 | 43.87% | 143 | 0.69% |
| 2016 | 12,217 | 58.58% | 8,283 | 39.72% | 356 | 1.71% |
| 2020 | 13,793 | 60.72% | 8,767 | 38.60% | 155 | 0.68% |
| 2024 | 14,677 | 64.10% | 8,057 | 35.19% | 164 | 0.72% |
Duplin County is important in raising animals for food. It has morehogs than any other county in the United States—2.2 million in 1998, which is greater than the hog population of most states. The county is also the home to a major chicken and turkey industry.[21]
Duplin County is also home toDuplin Winery, the oldest winery in North Carolina and the largest winery in the Southeast.
Duplin County is home toJames Sprunt Community College.
Geographic data related toDuplin County, North Carolina atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Duplin County, North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofDuplin County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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