Editing Ayden, North Carolina

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Ayden, North Carolina
| settlement_type                 = [[Town]]
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = "A great place to visit, a better place to live."<br/>"A vibrant community with hometown charm"

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline                   = Ayden, North Carolina.jpg
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = Lee Street in Ayden
| image_flag                      = Flag of Ayden, North Carolina.svg
| image_seal                      = Seal of Ayden, North Carolina.jpg

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                       = NCMap-doton-Ayden.PNG
| mapsize                         = 250x200px
| map_caption                     = Location of Ayden, North Carolina
| image_map1                      = 
| mapsize1                        = 
| map_caption1                    = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[North Carolina]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in North Carolina|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Pitt County, North Carolina|Pitt]]
| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name                     = Ivory Mewborn
| leader_title1                   = 
| leader_name1                    = 
| established_title               = 
| established_date                = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 9.88
| area_land_km2                   = 9.88
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi                = 3.81
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 3.81
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 4977
| population_density_km2          = 503.83
| population_density_sq_mi        = 1304.93

<!-- General information -->| timezone                        = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -5
| timezone_DST                    = EDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -4
| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft                    = 59
| coordinates                     = {{coord|35|28|10|N|77|25|00|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 28513
| area_code                       = [[Area code 252|252]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 37-02840<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 2405193<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405193}}</ref>
| website                         = [http://www.ayden.com/ www.ayden.com]
| footnotes                       = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Ayden''' is a [[town]] in [[Pitt County, North Carolina]], United States. The population was 4,977 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ayden town, North Carolina |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/aydentownnorthcarolina/PST045221 |website=www.census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 7, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The town is a part of the [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]] Metropolitan Area of North Carolina's [[Inner Banks]] region.

Ayden has a total area of 3.84 square miles, all of which is land.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

==History==
In 1891, William Henry Harris asked the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] to build a [[train station|railroad depot]] on a portion of his farm in order to create a village. A {{convert|40|acre|m2|adj=on}} parcel of land was divided into residential lots surrounding the depot in "Harristown", with Harris owning every other lot. Within the next several years, lots were sold and homes built. Businesses began to open up to support the new residents, and on February 3, 1891, the town was incorporated as "Ayden." Within a few years, the Carolina Christian College and the Free Will Baptist Seminary were established. By 1919, Ayden had full-time electricity supplied by the Ayden municipal light plant. In 1922, the Mutual Building and Loan Association of Ayden was organized to help families obtain mortgages to build homes in Ayden.<ref name=":0" />

After experiencing difficult times during the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]], and after the [[World War II|Second World War]], the town began to grow. To accommodate the growth, commercial, cultural, religious, and other establishments were opened within and around Ayden. The community is still growing today, due to the continued development of [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]] as an industrial and economic center for eastern North Carolina.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Ayden Historic District]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1994.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 557
|1910= 990
|1920= 1673
|1930= 1607
|1940= 1884
|1950= 2282
|1960= 3108
|1970= 3450
|1980= 4361
|1990= 4740
|2000= 4622
|2010= 4932
|2020= 4977
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|+Ayden racial composition<ref name="2020 Census" />
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 2,618
| 52.6%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,832
| 36.8%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 20
| 0.4%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 85
| 1.7%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Two or More Races]]
| 245
| 4.9%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 483
| 9.7%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 4,977 people, 2,160 households, and 1,230 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of [[2000 United States census|2000]], there were 4,622 people, 1,936 households, and 1,217 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,994.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,067 housing units at an average density of {{convert|892.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 47.64% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 49.52% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|African American]], 0.17% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Native American]], 0.19% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.32% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.10% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.21% of the population.<ref name="GR2" />

There were 1,936 households, out of which 7.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 12% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 20.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.6% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.<ref name="GR2" />

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 78.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 70.3 males.<ref name="GR2" />

The median income for a household in the town was $24,004, and the median income for a family was $34,808. Males had a median income of $30,991 versus $22,305 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,505. About 21.0% of families and 26.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 34.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="GR2" />

== Government structure ==

Ayden has used the council-manager form of government since 1957. Under this form of government, the Town Board of Commissioners is the final authority of most matters related to managing the government. The Town Board employs a Town Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the town. The mayor acts as the official head of the government and spokesperson of the Board. The mayor presides at all meetings of the Board and signs all documents authorized by the Board.<ref name=":0" />

The Mayor Pro-Tem is selected by each new board and assumes all duties and responsibilities of the mayor in their absence. The mayor and Town Board, together, are responsible for establishing the policies for the general operation of the town. The Town Board adopts ordinances, resolutions, budgets, authorizes contracts, and approves the financing of all town operations. The Board also appoints the Town Manager and Town Attorney, along with members of various boards and commissions.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.ayden.com/ayden-nc-history.asp |title=Ayden.com - Town of Ayden, North Carolina - History |accessdate=February 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222183033/http://www.ayden.com/ayden-nc-history.asp |archivedate=February 22, 2008 }}</ref>

==Education==
Education in Ayden is administered by the Pitt County [[Public school (government funded)|Public School]] System. The three schools located in Ayden include Ayden Elementary School, Ayden Middle School and [[Ayden-Grifton High School]]. Higher education is provided by [[Pitt Community College]], located between Ayden and Greenville. [[East Carolina University]] is located in downtown Greenville.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schools |url=https://www.ayden.com/resources/schools/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Town of Ayden |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Local events==
The Ayden [[Collard greens|Collard]] Festival is held the week immediately following [[Labor Day]] in September. The annual event started in 1975 and includes a Collard Queen contest which has been renamed as the Miss Ayden contest, sporting events, rides, live music, food, and a parade.<ref>[http://www.aydencollardfestival.com/ AydenCollardFestival.com - Ayden Collard Festival, Ayden, NC, Eastern North Carolina<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Notable people==
Notable people from Ayden include:
*[[Eric Blount]], gridiron football player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eric Blount Biography |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/bio/_/id/7371/eric-blount |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Demetrius Edwards]] {{aka}} "Oak Tree", boxer and kickboxer<ref>{{Cite web |last=North |first=Brian |date=2025-04-17 |title=Mural honors Ayden's kickboxing legend 'Oak Tree' Demetrius Edwards |url=https://wcti12.com/sports/content/mural-honors-aydens-kickboxing-legend-oak-tree-demetrius-edwards |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=WCTI |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Loonis McGlohon]], jazz musician<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thurber |first=Jon |date=2002-02-20 |title=Loonis McGlohon, 80; Wrote Hundreds of Songs |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-feb-20-me-loonis29-story.html |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Andrea Norris, community volunteer and recipient of the [[Order of the Long Leaf Pine]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garland |first=Bilyana |date=2025-02-08 |title=Ayden woman receives prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine award |url=https://wcti12.com/news/local/ayden-woman-receives-prestigious-order-of-the-long-leaf-pine-award |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=WCTI |language=en}}</ref> and the [[AARP]] Community Service Leader Inspiration Award<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-22 |title=Ayden's Norris wins AARP's Inspiration Award |url=https://www.reflector.com/standard/news/local/aydens-norris-wins-aarps-inspiration-award/article_008605e8-8b00-11ef-95fd-db21e4a8146f.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Reflector |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Timothy Reeder]], physician and politician in the North Carolina House of Representatives<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-19 |title=Reeder introduces legislation to limit insurance company impact on patient care |url=https://www.reflector.com/standard/news/local/reeder-introduces-legislation-to-limit-insurance-company-impact-on-patient-care/article_d4bf5e44-04c3-11f0-9624-d3f23d0cf80a.html |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Reflector |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ayden.com/ Official Ayden, NC website]
* [http://www.aydencollardfestival.com/ Ayden Collard Festival]

{{Pitt County, North Carolina}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in Pitt County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1891]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in North Carolina]]