Editing Kenly, North Carolina

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Kenly, North Carolina
| settlement_type          = [[Town]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = "Friendly"

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Kenly, North Carolina.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 
| image_flag               = Kenly, NC Town Flag.gif
| image_seal               = Kenly, NC Town Seal.jpg
| pushpin_map              = North Carolina#USA
| pushpin_label            = Kenly
| pushpin_label_position   = right<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption      = 
| pushpin_mapsize          = 
| image_map                = 
| map_caption              = 
| 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|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Johnston County, North Carolina|Johnston]], [[Wilson County, North Carolina|Wilson]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| 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           = 4.71
| area_land_km2            = 4.70
| area_water_km2           = 0.01
| area_total_sq_mi         = 1.82
| area_land_sq_mi          = 1.81
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 1491
| population_density_km2   = 317.10
| population_density_sq_mi = 821.49

<!-- 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             = 200
| coordinates              = {{coord|35|35|41|N|78|07|30|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 27542
| area_code                = [[Area code 919|919]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 37-35540<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>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2405935<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405935}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|www.townofkenly.com}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
}}

'''Kenly''' is a town in [[Johnston County, North Carolina|Johnston]] and [[Wilson County, North Carolina|Wilson]] counties in the [[U.S. state]] of [[North Carolina]]. It was named for John R. Kenly, Northern Division Superintendent of the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]], who later became president of the railroad in 1913. The population was 1,339 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US3735540| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Kenly town, North Carolina| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=October 12, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213102922/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US3735540| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> down from 1,569 in 2000.

==History==
The community was settled in about 1875,{{sfn|Powell|1976|p=262}} developing along the "Short-Cut" rail line of the [[Wilmington and Weldon Railroad]].{{sfn|Johnson|Barbour|1997|pp=8–9}} It was incorporated in 1887 as Kenly,{{sfn|Powell|1976|p=262}} being named for railroad official J. R. Kenly.{{sfn|Johnson|Barbour|1997|p=55}} In 1897, the community's first school, Kenly Academy, a private boarding institution, was established. Kenly High School, a public institution, was opened in 1914. That year the town received its first electric service.{{sfn|Johnson|Barbour|1997|p=58}}

In July 2022, all five members of Kenly's police force resigned, citing a "hostile work environment", allegedly created by the newly appointed town manager.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/johnston-county/article263736448.html|title=Town of Kenly to investigate police resignations. What will happen next?|access-date=August 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/entire-north-carolina-police-department-resigns-new-town-manager-hired | title=Entire North Carolina police department resigns after new town manager is hired | website=[[Fox News]] | date=July 22, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/us/north-carolina-police-resign-black-city-manager-reaj/index.html | title=An entire North Carolina police department resigned after a Black woman town manager was hired | website=[[CNN]] | date=July 29, 2022 }}</ref>

==Geography==
Kenly is located in eastern Johnston County.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=April 23, 2011 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> A small portion of the town extends into the southwest corner of Wilson County. [[U.S. Route 301]] (Church Street) is the main road through the center of town. [[North Carolina Highway 222]] (Second Street) crosses US 301 in the center of Kenly. [[Interstate 95 in North Carolina|Interstate 95]] runs along the northwest edge of Kenly, with access from Exit 107 (US 301).

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Kenly has a total area of {{convert|4.2|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|6513|sqm|acre|order=flip}}, or 0.16%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 137
|1900= 260
|1910= 726
|1920= 827
|1930= 965
|1940= 1095
|1950= 1129
|1960= 1147
|1970= 1370
|1980= 1433
|1990= 1549
|2000= 1569
|2010= 1339
|2020= 1491
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Kenly racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3735540&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 23, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 704
| 47.22%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 503
| 33.74%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 2
| 0.13%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 9
| 0.6%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 69
| 4.63%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 204
| 13.68%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,491 people, 744 households, and 416 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
[[File:Kenly Town Hall.JPG|thumb|Kenly Town Hall]]
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,569 people, 671 households, and 414 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,035.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 754 housing units at an average density of {{convert|497.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 55.32% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 40.60% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.25% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.25% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.29% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.27% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.57% of the population.

There were 671 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,865, and the median income for a family was $33,214. Males had a median income of $24,250 versus $17,917 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,181. About 23.3% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==
[[Boyette Slave House]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1979.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Education==
* Glendale-Kenly Elementary
* [[North Johnston High School]]

==Notable people==
*[[Al Evans]], [[Major League Baseball]] player
*[[The O'Kaysions]]

==Culture==
Kenly is the home of the Eastern North Carolina [[Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)|Church of God]] State Executive Offices and Conference Center.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Works cited ==
* {{cite book| last1 = Johnson| first1 = K. Todd| last2 = Barbour| first2 = Durwood| title = Johnston County| publisher = Arcadia Publishing| date = 1997| location = | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=d2iKyJHgkVwC| isbn = 9780752408170}}
* {{cite book| last = Powell| first = William S.| title = The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places| publisher = The University of North Carolina Press| date = 1976| location = Chapel Hill| isbn = 9780807812471}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kenly, North Carolina}}
* [https://www.townofkenly.com/ Town of Kenly official website]

{{Johnston County, North Carolina}}
{{Wilson County, North Carolina}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Johnston County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in Wilson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in North Carolina]]