Chowan County, North Carolina

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Chowan County (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell)<ref name="North Carolina Collection">Talk Like A Tarheel Template:Webarchive, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved February 8, 2013.</ref> is one of the 100 counties located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,708.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its county seat is Edenton.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was created between 1668 and 1671 as Shaftesbury Precinct and later renamed Chowan Precinct. It gained county status in 1739.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

File:The Bond Home Edenton North Carolina.jpeg

The Bond House, Edenton, Chowan County, c. 1920

Chowan was formed in 1670 as a precinct, originally called Shaftesbury, in Albemarle County. By 1685 it had been renamed for the Chowan Indian tribe, which lived in the northeastern part of the Carolina Colony.

Chowan County is in the northeastern section of the State and is bounded by Albemarle Sound, Chowan River, and the counties of Bertie, Hertford, Gates, and Perquimans. The present land area is 172.64 square miles and the 2000 population was 14,150.

In 1720, Edenton, which was named in honor of Governor Charles Eden, was established. In 1722 it was designated, and has continued to be, the county seat.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the American Civil War, the Albemarle Artillery was recruited in 1862 from Chowan and Tyrrell men at Edenton by local attorney William Badham, Jr. After cannons were recast from bronze donated as bells from local courthouses and churches to arm the battery, the unit was renamed the Edenton Bell Battery. They named their cannon: Columbia, St. Paul, Fannie Roulac, and Edenton. Two of the guns, long thought lost, have been returned to Edenton in recent years. The St. Paul and the Edenton now can be seen on display at Edenton's waterfront park.<ref name=BatteryEHC>Template:Cite web</ref> The county was named after the historical Chowanoc American Indian tribe, also called Chowan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

Template:Maplink According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (26.10%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the smallest county in North Carolina by land area and third-smallest by total area.

State and local protected sites

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Gates County – north
Perquimans County – east
Tyrrell County – southeast
Washington County – south
Bertie County – west
Hertford County – northwest

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Northeastern Regional Airport

Demographics

Template:US Census population

2020 census

Chowan County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	8,268	60.32%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	4,376	31.92%
Native American	43	0.31%
Asian	39	0.28%
Pacific Islander	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed	451	3.29%
Hispanic or Latino	530	3.87%

As of the 2020 census, there were 13,708 people, 6,133 households, and 3,986 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 14,793 people, 5,580 households, and 4,006 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,443 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 62.0% White, 34.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 3.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,580 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,928, and the median income for a family was $36,986. Males had a median income of $29,719 versus $19,826 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,027. About 13.70% of families and 17.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.50% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Chowan County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of governments.

Chowan County is represented by Bobby Hanig in the 1st district of the North Carolina Senate.

Communities

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

Map of Chowan County with municipal and township labels

Town

Edenton (county seat and largest community)

Townships

Township 1, Edenton
Township 2, Middle
Township 3, Upper
Township 4, Yeopim

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated places

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Commons category

Template:Geographic Location Template:Chowan County, North Carolina Template:North Carolina Template:Authority control