Editing Greene County, North Carolina

{{Short description|County in North Carolina, United States}}
{{for|the neighboring county that [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]] is in|Pitt County, North Carolina}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Greene County
 | state                = North Carolina
 | ex image             = Greene County Courthouse, North Carolina.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Greene County Courthouse (North Carolina)|Greene County Courthouse]] in Snow Hill
 | seal                 = Greene County seal.jpg
 | founded              = 1799
 | named for            = [[Nathanael Greene]]
 | seat wl              = Snow Hill
 | largest city wl      = Snow Hill
 | city type            = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 267.21
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 266.73
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.48
 | area percentage      = 0.18
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 20451
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 20530 {{gain}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = 76.67
 | coordinates          = {{coord|35.48|-77.68|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | web                  = greenecountync.gov
 | district             = 1st
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | flag                 = Greene County Flag.gif
 | motto                = "A place to grow. The way to live."
 | logo                 = Greene County Logo.jpg
}}

'''Greene County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[North Carolina]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 20,451.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its [[county seat]] is [[Snow Hill, North Carolina|Snow Hill]].<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>

==History==
Greene County, being a part of land grant by King [[Charles II of England]] in 1663, was first settled around 1710 by immigrants from [[Maryland]], [[Virginia]], and parts of North Carolina. The original inhabitants of the area, the [[Tuscarora (tribe)|Tuscarora]] Indians, fought with these immigrants and on March 20–23, 1713, a fighting force of [[South Carolina|South Carolinians]] and Yamasee Indians, under Colonel Murice Moore, defeated the Tuscarora, under the leadership of Chief Hancock. This was the final major battle of the [[Tuscarora War]] at [[Fort Neoheroka]] near current day [[Snow Hill, North Carolina|Snow Hill]].

In 1758, the area now recognized as Greene and Lenoir Counties was separated from Johnston and named '''Dobbs''' for the Royal Governor. The county was formed in 1791 from the northern part of [[Dobbs County, North Carolina|Dobbs County]]. It was originally named '''Glasgow County''', for [[James Glasgow]], [[North Carolina Secretary of State]] from 1777 to 1798. In 1799, Glasgow's involvement in military land grant frauds forced him to resign and leave the state. Glasgow County was then renamed Greene County in honor of [[Nathanael Greene]], one of General [[George Washington|Washington's]] right-hand men.

The county seat, Snow Hill, is the largest town and major commercial center in the county. The town draws its name from the historic white sandy banks of nearby [[Contentnea Creek]].<ref>[http://www.co.greene.nc.us/About_History.aspx Greene County – History<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401161243/http://www.co.greene.nc.us/About_History.aspx |date=April 1, 2008 }}</ref>

=== Former Greene County ===
{{See also|List of former United States counties}}Present-day Greene County is the second county of that name in North Carolina. The first (also named for Nathanael Greene) is now [[Greene County, Tennessee]]. It was established in 1783, in what was then the western part of the state. That area was ceded to the federal government and became part of the [[Southwest Territory]] (1790–1796) and the [[State of Tennessee]] (after 1796).

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q511772|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Greene County}}
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|267.21|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|266.73|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.48|sqmi}} (0.2%) 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>

===State and local protected areas===
* Contentnea Creek Hunting Preserve
* Oak Hill Preserve

===Major water bodies===
* [[Contentnea Creek]]
* Middle Swamp
* Nahunta Swamp
* [[Reedy Branch (Trent River tributary)|Reedy Branch]]
* Sandy Run
* Turnage Millpond
* [[Wheat Swamp (Contentnea Creek tributary)|Wheat Swamp]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Pitt County, North Carolina|Pitt County]] – east-northeast
* [[Wilson County, North Carolina|Wilson County]] – northwest
* [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir County]] – south
* [[Wayne County, North Carolina|Wayne County]] – west

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|I|587}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|13}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|258}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|264}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Alt|264|dab1=Middlesex–Greenville}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|58}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|91}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|121}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|123}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|903}}
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1800= 4218
|1810= 4867
|1820= 4533
|1830= 6413
|1840= 6595
|1850= 6619
|1860= 7925
|1870= 8687
|1880= 10037
|1890= 10039
|1900= 12038
|1910= 13083
|1920= 16212
|1930= 18656
|1940= 18548
|1950= 18024
|1960= 16741
|1970= 14967
|1980= 16117
|1990= 15384
|2000= 18974
|2010= 21362
|2020= 20451
|estyear=2023
|estimate=20530
|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 17, 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 17, 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 17, 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 17, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37079.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606235752/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37079.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/greenecountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Greene County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Greene County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37079&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 9,644
| 47.16%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 7,206
| 35.24%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 95
| 0.46%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 37
| 0.18%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 533
| 2.61%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 2,936
| 14.36%
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 20,451 people, 7,164 households, and 4,750 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States census|2000 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 18,975 people, 6,696 households, and 4,955 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|72|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 7,368 housing units at an average density of {{convert|28|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 51.83% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 41.21% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.30% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.09% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 5.75% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.80% from two or more races. 7.96% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 6,696 households, out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,074, and the median income for a family was $36,419. Males had a median income of $27,048 versus $21,351 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,452. About 16.00% of families and 20.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.30% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and politics==
Prior to [[Voting Rights Act of 1965|the 1965 Voting Rights Act]], Greene County was an overwhelmingly Democratic “[[Solid South]]” bastion. Between 1932 and 1956, every Democratic nominee reached 93.5 percent of the county's vote, and up to 1960 [[Herbert Hoover]] in the religiously polarized 1928 election had been the only post-[[Disenfranchisement after the Reconstruction Era|disfranchisement]] Republican to pass 22 percent of the county's vote. Unlike the Black Belts of the Deep South, Greene County completely resisted the [[Dixiecrat]] movement of 1948 to be only 0.07 percent shy of Texas’ [[Duval County, Texas|Duval County]] as [[Harry Truman]]’s strongest in the country,<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/stats.php?year=1948&f=1&off=0&elect=0 1948 Presidential Election Statistics]</ref> and in 1952 it was indeed [[Adlai Stevenson II]]’s strongest county in his landslide loss to [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]],<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/stats.php?year=1952&f=1&off=0&elect=0 1952 Presidential Election Statistics]</ref> besides being his strongest behind [[Baker County, Georgia|Georgia's Baker County]] in 1956.<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/stats.php?year=1956&f=1&off=0&elect=0 1956 Presidential Election Statistics]</ref> However, opposition to the voting and civil rights legislation of the [[Lyndon Johnson]] administration turned the county over to [[George Wallace]] in the 1968 presidential election, and [[Richard Nixon]] became the first Republican winner since [[Benjamin Harrison]] in 1888<ref>Menendez, Albert J.; ''The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004'', pp. 265-270 {{ISBN|0786422173}}</ref> with 75 percent of the vote in 1972. Since then, Greene County has gradually become Republican-leaning: the last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was [[Bill Clinton]] in 1992, although no Democrat except [[George McGovern|McGovern]] and [[Hubert Humphrey|Humphrey]] has fallen under 40 percent.

{{PresHead|place=Greene 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 15, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,965|3,437|48|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,874|3,832|47|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,374|3,605|116|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,411|3,778|47|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,272|3,796|35|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,800|2,665|7|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,353|2,478|39|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,689|2,224|285|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,180|2,768|784|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|2,498|2,729|11|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,195|2,772|8|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,221|2,835|57|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,356|2,740|28|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,788|847|49|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|650|1,560|2,906|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|901|2,712|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|451|3,092|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|222|3,285|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|186|2,976|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|65|2,687|34|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|113|2,528|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|104|2,990|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|116|3,097|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|94|2,510|3|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|542|1,181|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|182|1,119|7|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|439|1,649|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|294|1,066|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|124|894|152|North Carolina}}

Greene County is represented by Republican Senator [[Buck Newton]] in [[North Carolina's 4th Senate district]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senator Buck Newton (REP) |url=https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/443 |access-date=May 16, 2023 |website=www.ncleg.gov}}</ref>

Greene County is a member of the regional [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Eastern Carolina Council of Governments]].

==Economy==
Greene County is classified by the state of North Carolina as economically distressed. The average income of a resident is approximately $36,700 per year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/02/02/ecu-closes-five-health-clinics--leaving-gaps-in-eastern-north-carolina|title=ECU closes five health clinics, leaving gaps in eastern North Carolina|last=Duncan|first=Charles|date=February 2, 2023|website=Spectrum News 1|publisher=Charter Communications|access-date=February 21, 2023}}</ref>

==Education==
Schools is Greene County are administered by the Greene County [[Public school (government funded)|Public School]] system. The five schools include Greene Central High School, Greene Early College High School, Greene County Middle School, Snow Hill Primary School and West Greene Elementary School.<ref>[http://www.gcsedu.org/site_listing.aspx?categoryId=All Greene County Schools<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527170734/http://www.gcsedu.org/site_listing.aspx?categoryId=All |date=May 27, 2012 }}</ref> Higher education is provided through nearby [[East Carolina University]] or community colleges located in [[Wayne Community College|Goldsboro]], [[Pitt Community College|Greenville]] and [[Lenoir Community College|Kinston]]. One private school, Mt. Calvary Christian Academy, is also located in the county.

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Greene County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|250px|Map of Greene County with municipal and township labels]]

===Towns===
* [[Hookerton, North Carolina|Hookerton]]
* [[Snow Hill, North Carolina|Snow Hill]] (county seat and largest community)
* [[Walstonburg, North Carolina|Walstonburg]]

===Townships===
{{div col}}
* Bull Head
* Carrs
* Hookerton
* Jason
* Olds
* Ormondsville
* Shine
* Snow Hill
* Speights Bridge
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated place===
* [[Maury, North Carolina|Maury]]

===Unincorporated community===
* [[Jason, North Carolina|Jason]]

==See also==
* [[List of counties in North Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Greene County, North Carolina]]
* [[List of Highway Historical Markers in Greene County, North Carolina]]
* [[Pitt–Greenville Airport]], closest airport to the county

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{osmrelation|2528704}}
* {{Official website|https://greenecountync.gov/}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030409150756/http://www.greenechamber.com/ Greene County, NC Chamber of Commerce]}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Greene County, North Carolina
|North     =
|Northeast = [[Pitt County, North Carolina|Pitt County]]
|East      =
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Wayne County, North Carolina|Wayne County]]
|Northwest = [[Wilson County, North Carolina|Wilson County]]
}}
{{Greene County, North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Greene County, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:1791 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1791]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in North Carolina]]