Editing Camden County, North Carolina

{{Short description|Consolidated city-county in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Camden County
 | state                = North Carolina
 | type                 = [[Consolidated city-county]]
 | ex image             = Historic Camden County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Camden County Courthouse (North Carolina)|Camden County Courthouse]]
 | seal                 = Camden County Seal.jpg
 | founded              = 1777<br/>(Consolidated July 1, 2006)<ref name="2006Consolidation"/>
 | named for            = [[Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden|Charles Pratt]], 1st [[Earl Camden]]
 | seat wl              = Camden
 | largest city wl      = Camden
 | city type            = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 310.25
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 240.33
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 69.92
 | area percentage      = 22.54
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 10355
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 11137 {{gain}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = 43.00
 | coordinates          = {{coord|36.34|-76.16|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | web                  = www.camdencountync.gov
 | district             = 1st
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | motto                = "Boundless Opportunities."
 | logo                 = Camden County Logo.png
 | flag                 = Camden County Flag.gif
}}

'''Camden County''' is a [[consolidated city-county]]<ref name="2006Consolidation">{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2006 |title=Ordinance No. 2006-06-02 |url=http://www.camdencountync.gov/government/ordinances-06-06-02.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070731053319/http://www.camdencountync.gov/government/ordinances-06-06-02.htm |archive-date=July 31, 2007 |access-date=December 16, 2023 |website=www.camdencountync.gov}}</ref> located in the U.S. state of [[North Carolina]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 10,355,<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> making it the [[List of counties in North Carolina|fourth-least populous county in North Carolina]]. Its [[county seat]] is [[Camden, North Carolina|Camden]].<ref name="GR6">{{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 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Camden County is included in the [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]]-[[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]], VA-NC [[Hampton Roads|Combined Statistical Area]].<ref name="2023OMB">{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2023 |title=OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |access-date=August 10, 2023 |website=[[United States Office of Management and Budget]]}}</ref>

==History==
The county was formed in 1777 from part of [[Pasquotank County, North Carolina|Pasquotank County]]. It was named for [[Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden|Charles Pratt, 1st Lord Camden]],{{sfn|Corbitt|2000|p=56}} a British politician who had opposed the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Act]] and was sympathetic towards American colonists.{{sfn|Jennings|2014|p=8}} The county is the site of the southern terminus of the [[Dismal Swamp Canal]].{{sfn|Jennings|2014|p=7}} The first county courthouse was constructed in 1782 and was replaced in 1847.{{sfn|Jennings|2014|p=8}} It was the site of the [[Battle of South Mills]] in April 1862, during the [[American Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2016/04/18/battle-south-mills-april-1862| title = Battle of South Mills, April 1862| date = April 18, 2016| publisher = North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources| access-date = February 9, 2025}}</ref>

Shiloh Baptist Church, founded around 1727 by [[Paul Palmer (minister)|Paul Palmer]], is the oldest Baptist church in North Carolina.<ref>{{cite web | title = People Called Baptists | publisher = Baptist State Convention of North Carolina | url = http://www.bscnc.org/insidebscnc/historymission/peoplecalledbaptist.htm | access-date = January 3, 2007}}</ref> It is located in the [[Shiloh, Camden County, North Carolina|Shiloh]] township.

Though technically there are (or were) no incorporated municipalities in Camden County (with the exception of a small portion of [[Elizabeth City, North Carolina|Elizabeth City]]; most of which is in bordering [[Pasquotank County, North Carolina|Pasquotank County]]), the county became the first [[consolidated city-county]] entity in North Carolina on July 1, 2006.<ref name="2006Consolidation"/>{{sfn|Jennings|2014|p=9}}

==Geography==
{{climate chart
| Camden County, NC<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.usa.com/camden-county-nc-weather.htm#HistoricalTemperature
| title = Camden County Weather
| website = usa.com }}</ref>
|30.7|50.5|3.7
|33.3|53.7|3.4
|39.1|61.4|3.9
|47.4|70.6|3.5
|56.3|78.0|3.9
|65.5|85.5|4.4
|69.9|88.9|5.5
|68.2|86.8|5.5
|62.7|81.7|5.0
|51.4|72.7|3.5
|42.5|63.9|3.3
|34.3|54.2|3.6
|units = imperial
|float = right
|clear = both }}{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q504294|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Camden County}}According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|310.25|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|240.33|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|69.92|sqmi}} (22.54%) is water.<ref>{{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 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

===National protected area===
* [[Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)

===State and local protected areas===
* [[Dismal Swamp State Park]]
* [[North River Game Land]] (part)

===Major water bodies===
* [[Albemarle Sound]]
* [[Intracoastal Waterway]]
* [[North River (North Carolina)|North River]]
* [[Pasquotank River]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[City of Suffolk, Virginia]] – north
* [[City of Chesapeake, Virginia]] – north
* [[Currituck County, North Carolina|Currituck County]] – east
* [[Tyrrell County, North Carolina|Tyrrell County]] – south
* [[Pasquotank County, North Carolina|Pasquotank County]] – southwest
* [[Gates County, North Carolina|Gates County]] – northwest

===Major highways===
* {{Jct|state=NC|I-Future|87}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|17}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|17|dab1=South Mills}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|158}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|34}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|343}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 4022
|1800= 4191
|1810= 5347
|1820= 6347
|1830= 6733
|1840= 5663
|1850= 6049
|1860= 5343
|1870= 5361
|1880= 6274
|1890= 5667
|1900= 5474
|1910= 5640
|1920= 5382
|1930= 5461
|1940= 5440
|1950= 5223
|1960= 5598
|1970= 5453
|1980= 5829
|1990= 5904
|2000= 6885
|2010= 9980
|2020= 10355
|estyear=2023
|estimate=11137
|estref=<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{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 13, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{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 13, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{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 13, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37029.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606234908/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37029.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/camdencountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Camden County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Camden County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37029&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 22, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 8,200
| 79.19%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,049
| 10.13%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 40
| 0.39%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 118
| 1.14%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 1
| 0.01%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 607
| 5.86%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 340
| 3.28%
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 10,355 people, 3,933 households, and 3,154 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 9,980 people, 2,662 households, and 2,023 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|29|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 2,973 housing units at an average density of {{convert|12|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 82.1% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 13.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.5% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.7% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.1% from two or more races. 2.2% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 2,662 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 20.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,493, and the median income for a family was $45,387. Males had a median income of $36,274 versus $24,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,681. 10.10% of the population and 7.90% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 12.60% are under the age of 18 and 20.30% are 65 or older.

=== Demographic change ===
The county's population changed little between 1830 and 1970, averaging at about 5,500 residents. It grew slightly between 1970 and 1990, and then grew rapidly between 1990 and 2000.{{sfn|Jennings|2014|p=9}}

==Government and politics==
Camden County is a member of the [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Albemarle Commission]] regional council of governments.{{cn|date=February 2025}} It is represented by [[Bobby Hanig]] in the [[North Carolina's 1st Senate district|1st district]] in the [[North Carolina Senate|North Carolina State Senate]] and [[Ed Goodwin|Edward Charles Goodwin]] in the [[North Carolina's 1st House district|1st district]] in the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Representation - North Carolina General Assembly |url=https://www.ncleg.gov/findyourlegislators |access-date=April 18, 2022 |website=www.ncleg.gov}}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Camden County, North Carolina|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{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 14, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,716|1,522|66|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,312|1,537|104|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,546|1,274|186|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,109|1,508|87|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,140|1,597|84|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,480|1,339|11|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,628|1,187|16|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,074|1,186|306|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,039|1,153|483|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,144|1,081|24|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,282|1,075|6|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|813|1,212|63|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|562|1,231|16|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|909|556|45|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|180|707|1,100|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|534|870|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|338|1,014|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|343|813|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|340|996|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|127|576|76|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|193|722|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|134|961|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|117|1,008|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|78|915|1|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|245|624|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|132|436|9|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|142|540|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|86|368|2|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|40|303|62|North Carolina}}

==Education==
There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, [[Camden County High School (Camden, North Carolina)|Camden County High School]], and Camden Early College. However, one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The Shiloh School sign is still visible on the top of the facade at the front of the building.

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Camden County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|300px|Map of Camden County with municipal and township labels]]

===City===
* [[Elizabeth City, North Carolina|Elizabeth City]] (mostly in Pasquotank County)

===Census-designated places===
* [[Camden, North Carolina|Camden]] (county seat and largest community)
* [[South Mills, North Carolina|South Mills]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* Black Swamp
* [[Old Trap, North Carolina|Old Trap]]
* Shiloh

===Townships===
* Courthouse
* Shiloh
* South Mills

==See also==
* [[List of counties in North Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Camden County, North Carolina]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Works cited ==
* {{cite book| last = Corbitt| first = David Leroy| title = The formation of the North Carolina counties, 1663-1943| publisher = North Carolina Division of Archives and History | edition = reprint| date = 2000| location = Raleigh| url =https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/the-formation-of-the-north-carolina-counties-1663-1943/3692099?item=4553233| oclc= 46398241}}
* {{cite book| last = Jennings| first = A. Burgess| title = Camden County| publisher = Arcadia Publishing| series = Images of America| date = 2014| location = | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=P96RBAAAQBAJ| isbn = 9781439647196}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{osmrelation|1242002}}
* {{official website|https://www.camdencountync.gov}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Camden County, North Carolina
|North     = [[Chesapeake, Virginia]]
|Northeast = [[Currituck County, North Carolina|Currituck County]]
|East      = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Albemarle Sound]]
|Southwest = [[Pasquotank County, North Carolina|Pasquotank County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Gates County, North Carolina|Gates County]] and [[Suffolk, Virginia]]
}}
{{Camden County, North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Camden County, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:Elizabeth City, North Carolina micropolitan area]]
[[Category:1777 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1777]]
[[Category:Consolidated city-counties]]