Wilson County, North Carolina

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Wilson County

| official_name = County of Wilson

| state = North Carolina

| seal = Wilson County Seal.jpg

| logo = Wilson County Logo.png

| founded = 1855

| named for = {{nowrap|Col. Louis D. Wilson}}

| seat wl = Wilson

| largest city wl = Wilson

| city type = community

| area_total_sq_mi = 373.10

| area_land_sq_mi = 367.57

| area_water_sq_mi = 5.53

| area percentage = 1.48

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 78784

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 78970 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| coordinates = {{coord|35.70|-77.92|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}

| ex image = Wilson County NC courthouse from SSW 1.JPG

| ex image cap = Wilson County Courthouse

| ZIP codes = 27542, 27557, 27803, 27807, 27813, 27822, 27829, 27830, 27851, 27852, 27873, 27878, 27880, 27883, 27888, 27893, 27895, 27896

| area codes = 252

| district = 1st

| time zone = Eastern

| web = www.wilsoncountync.gov

}}

Wilson County, officially the County of Wilson, is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,784. The county seat is Wilson.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}} The county comprises the Wilson, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included within the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids, NC Combined Statistical Area.

History

On February 13, 1855, the North Carolina General Assembly established Wilson County from parts of Edgecombe, Johnston, Nash, and Wayne counties.{{cite book |author= |title=Public Laws of the State of North-Carolina, Passed by the General Assembly, at its Session of 1854–'55: Together with the Comptroller's Statement of Public Revenue and Expenditure |url=https://archive.org/stream/publiclawsofstat185455nor#page/30/mode/2up |location=Raleigh |publisher=Holden & Wilson |page=30 |date=1855 |lccn=83644405 |via=Internet Archive}} The county was named for Colonel Louis D. Wilson, a U.S. Volunteers soldier, who died of yellow fever while on leave from the state senate during the Mexican–American War.{{cite book |last=Lichtenstein |first=Gaston |date=1911 |title=Louis D. Wilson, Mexican War Martyr, also, Thos. H. Hall, Andrew Johnson as he Really was, and, Our Town Common; Four Articles |url=https://archive.org/stream/louisdwilsonmexi00lichrich#page/6/mode/2up |location=Richmond, Va. |publisher=H. T. Ezekiel |page=7 |oclc=1127629 |ol=14021029M |via=Internet Archive}}

Wilson Speedway held 12 NASCAR Cup Series races at the county fairgrounds in Wilson between 1951 and 1960. The half mile dirt track operated between 1934 and 1989.

Geography

{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q510900|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Wilson County}}

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|373.10|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|367.57|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.53|sqmi}} (1.48%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2022 |title=2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_37.txt |access-date=September 10, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

=State and local protected site=

Tobacco Farm Life Museum{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} Tobacco Farm Life Museum, Inc. |url=https://www.tobaccofarmlifemuseum.org/ |access-date=July 27, 2022 |website=Tobacco Farm Life Mu |language=en}}

=Major water bodies=

Black Creek
Buckhorn Reservoir
Contentnea Creek
Lake Wilson{{Cite web |title=Parks & Shelters |url=https://www.wilsonnc.org/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/46/322 |access-date=July 27, 2022 |website=www.wilsonnc.org |language=en}}
Silver Lake{{Cite web |last=Novak |first=Steven |title=Fish Silver Lake - Wilson County, North Carolina |url=https://www.lake-link.com/north-carolina-lakes/wilson/silver-lake/321118/united-states-lakes-map/united-states-lakes-map/?CFID=582006881&CFTOKEN=57c2aec155e0b0c7-FD146036-CC21-BB66-E7D933E147610A77 |access-date=July 27, 2022 |website=Lake-Link |language=en}}
Wiggins Mill Reservoir{{Cite web |title=Parks & Shelters |url=https://www.wilsonnc.org/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/124/322?npage=2 |access-date=July 27, 2022 |website=www.wilsonnc.org |language=en}}

=Adjacent counties=

Nash County – north
Edgecombe County – northeast
Pitt County – east
Greene County – southeast
Wayne County – south
Johnston County – southwest

=Major highways=

{{Jct|state=NC|I|95}}
{{Jct|state=NC|I|587|I-Future|587|nolink2=yes}} (small section undesignated)
{{Jct|state=NC|I|795}}
{{Jct|state=NC|US|117}}
{{Jct|state=NC|US|264}}
{{Jct|state=NC|US-Alt|264|dab1=Middlesex–Greenville}}
{{Jct|state=NC|US|301}}
{{Jct|state=NC|NC|42}}
{{Jct|state=NC|NC|58}}
{{Jct|state=NC|NC|111}}
{{Jct|state=NC|NC|222}}
{{Jct|state=NC|NC|581}}

= Major infrastructure =

Amtrak Thruway (Wilson Station)
Wilson Industrial Air Center{{Cite web |title=Wilson Industrial Air Center {{!}} Wilson, NC |url=https://www.wilsonnc.org/residents/all-departments/public-works/wilson-transit-wilson-industrial-air-center/wilson-industrial-air-center |access-date=July 18, 2022 |website=www.wilsonnc.org |language=en}}
Wilson Station

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1860= 9720

|1870= 12258

|1880= 16064

|1890= 18644

|1900= 23596

|1910= 28269

|1920= 36813

|1930= 44914

|1940= 50219

|1950= 54506

|1960= 57716

|1970= 57486

|1980= 63132

|1990= 66061

|2000= 73814

|2010= 81234

|2020= 78784

|estyear=2023

|estimate=78970

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 20, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 20, 2015}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nc190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=January 20, 2015}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=January 20, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37195.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 30, 2013}} 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/wilsoncountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Wilson County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 22, 2024}}

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" \|+Wilson County racial composition{{Cite web\|title=Explore Census Data\|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37195&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2\|access-date=December 24, 2021\|website=data.census.gov}} !scope="col"\| Race !scope="col"\| Number !scope="col"\| Percentage
scope="row"\| White (non-Hispanic) \| 36,106 \| 45.83%
scope="row"\| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) \| 29,842 \| 37.88%
scope="row"\| Native American \| 239 \| 0.3%
scope="row"\| Asian \| 900 \| 1.14%
scope="row"\| Pacific Islander \| 10 \| 0.01%
scope="row"\| Other/Mixed \| 2,663 \| 3.38%
scope="row"\| Hispanic or Latino \| 9,024 \| 11.45%

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"

|+Wilson County racial composition{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37195&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 36,106

| 45.83%

scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 29,842

| 37.88%

scope="row"| Native American

| 239

| 0.3%

scope="row"| Asian

| 900

| 1.14%

scope="row"| Pacific Islander

| 10

| 0.01%

scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 2,663

| 3.38%

scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 9,024

| 11.45%

As of the 2020 census, there were 78,784 people, 32,384 households, and 19,760 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|199|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 30,729 housing units at an average density of {{convert|83|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. There were 28,613 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.10% were married couples living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,116, and the median income for a family was $41,551. Males had a median income of $30,364 versus $21,997 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,102. About 13.80% of families and 18.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.70% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Wilson County government is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments. It has several law-enforcement agencies:

Wilson County Sheriff's Office
Wilson Police Department (City of Wilson)
Stantonsburg Police Department (Town of Stantonsburg)
Black Creek Police Department (Town of Black Creek)
Sharpsburg Police Department (Town of Sharpsburg)

{{PresHead|place=Wilson County, North Carolina|whig=no|source1={{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 17, 2018}}}}

{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|4,053|4,173|7,903|North Carolina}}

Communities

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

=City=

Wilson (county seat and largest community)

=Towns=

=Townships=

Black Creek
Cross Roads
Gardners
Old Fields
Saratoga
Springhill
Stantonsburg
Taylors
Toisnot
Wilson

=Unincorporated communities=

Montclair
New Hope
Rock Ridge
Lamms Crossroads

References

External links

{{official website}}
{{osmrelation}}
[https://www.ncgenweb.us/wilson/ NCGenWeb Wilson County], genealogy resources for the county
[http://www.wcgs.org/ Wilson County Genealogical Society]
{{Ballotpedia}}
{{Internet Archive author|name=Wilson County, North Carolina}}

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Wilson County, North Carolina

|North = Nash County

|Northeast = Edgecombe County

|East = Pitt County

|Southeast = Greene County

|South = Wayne County

|Southwest = Johnston County

|West =

|Northwest =

}}

Category:North Carolina counties