Edgecombe County, North Carolina

Edgecombe County (Template:IPAc-en or Template:IPAc-en ) is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,900. Its county seat is Tarboro.

Edgecombe County is part of the Rocky Mount, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

This area eventually comprising Edgecombe County was historically home to the Tuscarora, a Native American people. The first European settlers arrived in the Tar River region in the mid-1730s.Template:Sfn On May 16, 1732, Royal Governor of the Province of North Carolina George Burrington, in response to a petition and with the consent of his council, authorized for the representation of an Edgecombe Precinct in the North Carolina General Assembly, named in honor of British politician Richard Edgcumbe. This decision was vetoed by the assembly and subsequently debated for several years. In 1741, the assembly acceded to the creation of the precinct. The reason for why the eventual county's name is spelled differently than the honoree's name or when this discrepancy came into practice is unknown.

In 1746 part of Edgecombe County became Granville County.Template:Sfn In 1758 a portion, including the county seat of Enfield, became Halifax County,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn while another portion in the south became part of Dobbs County.Template:Sfn In 1777 yet another part became Nash County.

In 1763 the county seat was designated at the town of Tarboro.Template:Sfn The first U.S. Census in 1790 recorded a total population of 10,255.Template:Sfn In 1840 the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad—later renamed the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad—was completed with a line through the county, which spurred the development of the communities of Rocky Mount, Battleboro, and Sharpsburg.Template:Sfn By 1850, the county produced significant amounts of cotton and recorded a population 17,189.Template:Sfn In 1855, parts of Nash, Edgecombe, Johnston, and Wayne counties were combined to form Wilson County.Template:Sfn

At the onset of the American Civil War, secessionist sentiment predominated in Edgecombe. From its population six companies were raised for service with the Confederate States Army.Template:Sfn In 1863, federal forces conducted a raid on Rocky Mount, destroying railroad infrastructure and several industrial sites. Another federal incursion in December 1864 led to significant damage to property in the county east of Tarboro.Template:Sfn In the aftermath of the war, the economy of eastern North Carolina was adversely affected. In the Reconstruction era, freedmen gained political power and, as a result, three blacks were elected to the North Carolina General Assembly between 1868 and 1872 and blacks held significant influence in local government. In 1871, after significant political controversy, all parts of Edgecombe County west of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad were annexed to NashTemplate:Sfn leading to the bifurcation of the Edgecombe communities of Battleboro and Sharpsburg between the two counties. In 1883, the county was reduced to its present dimensions when part of it was annexed to Wilson.Template:Sfn

From the Reconstruction era until the Great Depression in the 1930s, the county experienced demographic increases and the development of industry.Template:Sfn

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.28%) is water.

State and local protected areas

• Lower Fishing Creek Game Land (part)
• Tar River Game Land

Major water bodies

• Cokey Swamp
• Deep Creek
• Fishing Creek
• Swift Creek
• Tar River
• Town Creek

Adjacent counties

• Halifax County – north
• Martin County – east
• Pitt County – south-southeast
• Wilson County – southwest
• Nash County – west

Major highways

• (Princeville)
• (Rocky Mount)

Major infrastructure

• Carolina Connector Intermodal Terminal, owned by CSX Transportation
• Rocky Mount Station

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Template:Sronly	%±
1790	10,265		—
1800	10,421		%
1810	12,423		%
1820	13,276		%
1830	14,935		%
1840	15,708		%
1850	17,189		%
1860	17,376		%
1870	22,970		%
1880	26,181		%
1890	24,113		%
1900	26,591		%
1910	32,010		%
1920	37,995		%
1930	47,894		%
1940	49,162		%
1950	51,634		%
1960	54,226		%
1970	52,341		%
1980	55,988		%
1990	56,558		%
2000	55,606		%
2010	56,552		%
2020	48,900		%
2024 (est.)	49,124		%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

Edgecombe County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	21,838	21,360	17,340	39.27%	37.77%	35.46%
Black or African American alone (NH)	31,790	32,318	27,299	57.17%	57.15%	55.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	92	128	128	0.17%	0.23%	0.26%
Asian alone (NH)	62	113	112	0.11%	0.20%	0.23%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	7	9	0.00%	0.01%	0.02%
Other race alone (NH)	18	45	138	0.03%	0.08%	0.28%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	251	477	1,168	0.45%	0.84%	2.39%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,554	2,104	2,706	2.79%	3.72%	5.53%
Total	55,606	56,552	48,900	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 census, there were 48,900 people, 19,971 households, and 14,408 families residing in the county. The median age was 43.2 years, 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18, and 20.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82.9 males age 18 and over.

Of the 19,971 households, 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 35.0% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 23,059 housing units, of which 13.4% were vacant; among occupied housing units, 59.0% were owner-occupied and 41.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.3%.

The racial makeup of the county was 36.1% White, 56.1% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.8% from some other race, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.5% of the population.

55.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 44.8% lived in rural areas.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 56,552 people living in the county. 57.4% were Black or African American, 38.8% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 2.3% of some other race and 1.0% of two or more races. 3.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 55,606 people, 20,392 households, and 14,804 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 24,002 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 57.46% Black or African American, 40.06% White, 0.20% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.56% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 2.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,392 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.20% were married couples living together, 21.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,983, and the median income for a family was $35,902. Males had a median income of $27,300 versus $21,649 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,435. About 16.00% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.50% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

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

The North Carolina Department of Corrections previously operated the Fountain Correctional Center for Women in an unincorporated area in the county, near Rocky Mount. It closed in December 2014.

Economy

Edgecombe County's unemployment has been declining from a peak of 17.1 percent in February 2010. In June 2024 the county had an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent.

Education

Edgecombe County Public Schools has 14 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to thirteenth grade. These are separated into four high schools, four middle schools, five elementary schools, and one K–8 school. It was formed in 1993 from the merger of the old Edgecombe County Schools and Tarboro City Schools systems.

The county is home to Edgecombe Community College with campuses in Tarboro and Rocky Mount.

Communities

File:Map of Edgecombe County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG

Map of Edgecombe County with municipal and township labels

City

• Rocky Mount (largest community; partially located also in Nash County)

Towns

• Conetoe
• Leggett
• Macclesfield
• Pinetops
• Princeville
• Sharpsburg
• Speed
• Tarboro (county seat)
• Whitakers

Townships

The county is divided into fourteen townships, which are both numbered and named:

• 1 (Tarboro)
• 2 (Lower Conetoe)
• 3 (Upper Conetoe)
• 4 (Deep Creek)
• 5 (Lower Fishing Creek)
• 6 (Upper Fishing Creek)
• 7 (Swift Creek)
• 8 (Sparta)
• 9 (Otter Creek)
• 10 (Lower Town Creek)
• 11 (Walnut Creek)
• 12 (Rocky Mount)
• 13 (Cokey)
• 14 (Upper Town Creek)

Unincorporated communities

• Crisp
• Mercer

Notable people

• Duncan Lamont Clinch (1787–1849) – born at Ard-Lamont in Edgecombe County, American Army officer in the First and Second Seminole Wars
• Dorsey Pender (1834–1863) – born at Pender's Crossroads in Edgecombe County, Major General in the Confederate Army.
• Josiah Pender (1819-1864) – cousin to Dorsey Pender, who captured Fort Macon from Union soldiers in 1861.
• Hugh Shelton (born 1942) – four-star General and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appointed by President Clinton.

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Edgecombe County, North Carolina
• Edgecombe County serial killer
• Halifax District Brigade#Edgecombe County Regiment

External links

• Template:Osmrelation
• NCGenWeb Edgecombe County, genealogy resources for the county