Jones County, North Carolina
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 10,153,[1] making it the fifth-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Trenton.[2]
Jones County | |
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![]() Jones County Courthouse | |
![]() Seal | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina | |
![]() North Carolina's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 35.01°N 77.37°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1779 |
Named for | Willie Jones |
Seat | Trenton |
Largest town | Maysville |
Area | |
• Total | 473 sq mi (1,230 km2) |
• Land | 471 sq mi (1,220 km2) |
• Water | 2.5 sq mi (6 km2) 0.5%% |
Population | |
• Estimate (2018) | 9,637 |
• Density | 22/sq mi (8/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Website | www |
Jones County is part of the New Bern, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area..
History
The county was formed in 1779 from the southwestern part of Craven County. It was named for Willie Jones,[3] a planter, slaveholder, Revolutionary leader and president of the North Carolina Committee of Safety during the war. He opposed state ratification of the United States Constitution.
The rural Low Country county was originally developed for plantations, which were dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 473 square miles (1,230 km2), of which 471 square miles (1,220 km2) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4]
Adjacent counties
- Craven County - northeast
- Carteret County - southeast
- Onslow County - south
- Duplin County - west
- Lenoir County - northwest
National protected area
- Croatan National Forest (part)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1790 | 4,796 | — | |
1800 | 4,339 | −9.5% | |
1810 | 4,968 | 14.5% | |
1820 | 5,216 | 5.0% | |
1830 | 5,608 | 7.5% | |
1840 | 4,945 | −11.8% | |
1850 | 5,038 | 1.9% | |
1860 | 5,730 | 13.7% | |
1870 | 5,002 | −12.7% | |
1880 | 7,491 | 49.8% | |
1890 | 7,403 | −1.2% | |
1900 | 8,226 | 11.1% | |
1910 | 8,721 | 6.0% | |
1920 | 9,912 | 13.7% | |
1930 | 10,428 | 5.2% | |
1940 | 10,926 | 4.8% | |
1950 | 11,004 | 0.7% | |
1960 | 11,005 | 0.0% | |
1970 | 9,779 | −11.1% | |
1980 | 9,705 | −0.8% | |
1990 | 9,414 | −3.0% | |
2000 | 10,381 | 10.3% | |
2010 | 10,153 | −2.2% | |
2018 (est.) | 9,637 | [5] | −5.1% |
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1] |
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 10,381 people, 4,061 households, and 2,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8/km2). There were 4,679 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 60.97% White, 35.87% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.70% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 2.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,061 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,882, and the median income for a family was $35,180. Males had a median income of $28,662 versus $19,536 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,916. About 14.20% of families and 16.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.30% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
Jones County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments. The Jones County Government relies entirely upon an all volunteer (non-paid) fire department force segregated by geographic location(s). The Law Enforcement structure consists of one paid Pollocksville Police Chief, one paid Maysville Police Chief, and an elected Sheriff with a small (less than 25 person force) to handle law enforcement, detention, and emergency communications. The county government relies heavily on volunteer deputization. Emergency ambulance services consist of one full-time medical unit dispatched from the town of Trenton and relies heavily on other volunteer EMS personnel geographically scattered around the county to assist with a medical emergency. Additional EMS transportation vehicles are subsidized by EMS services provided by adjacent counties or private enterprises. There is no animal control unit. The County Detention Facility is a 21-bed (3 female) facility located in the basement of the county courthouse and the detention staff double up as the communications/911 emergency communications staff. Prisoner Meals are provided by contract through licensed restaurants.
Politics
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | 57.9% 2,974 | 40.2% 2,065 | 1.9% 96 |
2012 | 54.2% 2,837 | 45.0% 2,352 | 0.8% 41 |
2008 | 53.9% 2,817 | 45.5% 2,378 | 0.6% 32 |
2004 | 57.8% 2,607 | 42.0% 1,893 | 0.3% 13 |
2000 | 53.3% 2,114 | 46.0% 1,822 | 0.7% 28 |
1996 | 45.3% 1,682 | 49.2% 1,829 | 5.5% 204 |
1992 | 37.4% 1,438 | 51.0% 1,962 | 11.6% 446 |
1988 | 45.8% 1,649 | 54.0% 1,946 | 0.2% 7 |
1984 | 50.3% 2,062 | 49.4% 2,025 | 0.3% 12 |
1980 | 38.6% 1,401 | 60.6% 2,198 | 0.9% 31 |
1976 | 31.5% 948 | 67.0% 2,016 | 1.6% 47 |
1972 | 58.9% 1,650 | 39.0% 1,093 | 2.0% 57 |
1968 | 10.7% 361 | 36.4% 1,225 | 52.9% 1,780 |
1964 | 26.7% 776 | 73.3% 2,129 | |
1960 | 23.4% 585 | 76.7% 1,920 | |
1956 | 17.5% 415 | 82.5% 1,952 | |
1952 | 16.5% 331 | 83.5% 1,673 | |
1948 | 8.0% 113 | 88.1% 1,238 | 3.9% 55 |
1944 | 14.7% 211 | 85.3% 1,221 | |
1940 | 14.5% 233 | 85.5% 1,371 | |
1936 | 10.7% 188 | 89.3% 1,563 | |
1932 | 8.3% 132 | 91.4% 1,449 | 0.3% 4 |
1928 | 57.5% 658 | 42.5% 486 | |
1924 | 20.5% 179 | 79.3% 692 | 0.2% 2 |
1920 | 28.5% 385 | 71.5% 964 | |
1916 | 24.7% 233 | 75.3% 712 | |
1912 | 4.4% 35 | 79.9% 635 | 15.7% 125 |
Recreation
Jones County lies 8 miles (13 km) west of the Atlantic Ocean but the only waterfront areas in the county are along the Trent and White Oak rivers. Part of the Great Dover Swamp also lies within the county lines. Many enjoy boating and fishing activities as well as camping at the 17 Family Campground along Highway 17 north in Maysville. The Croatan National Forest offers hiking trails and wildlife viewing and the wide open spaces of fields and forests are a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.
Communities
![](../I/Map_of_Jones_County_North_Carolina_With_Municipal_and_Township_Labels.PNG.webp)
Towns
- Maysville
- Pollocksville
- Trenton (county seat)
Townships
The county is divided into seven townships, which are both numbered and named:
- 1 (White Oak)
- 2 (Pollocksville)
- 3 (Trenton)
- 4 (Cypress Creek)
- 5 (Tuckahoe)
- 6 (Chinquapin)
- 7 (Beaver Creek)
References
- "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 170.
- "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jones County, North Carolina. |
- Jones County government official website
- NCGenWeb Jones County - free genealogy resources for the county