Rich Square, North Carolina

Rich Square was first incorporated in 1869 and is the oldest town in Northampton County.[5] The town takes its name from the earliest recorded land purchase of 640 acres on 9 March 1717, which comprised a square mile of rich (fertile) farmland inside the current city limits.[5] Two locations in or near the town, Duke-Lawrence House and Edgewood, also known as Holoman-Outland House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]

Rich Square is located at 36°16′24″N 77°17′3″W (36.273267, -77.284132).[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), all of it land.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 931 people, 395 households, and 259 families residing in the town. The population density was 330.6 people per square mile (127.5/km²). There were 441 housing units at an average density of 156.6 per square mile (60.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 42.75% White, 55.85% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.54% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 395 households, out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,656, and the median income for a family was $30,000. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $19,135 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,079. About 15.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.

• General Walter E. Boomer, retired four-star General and Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps
• Mills Darden, allegedly one of the largest persons to ever live in human history
• George V. Holloman, U.S. Army Air Corps avionics pioneer. Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico is named in his honor.
• Charles Robert Jenkins, U.S. Army deserter
• Stu Martin, former MLB player from 1936–1943
• Shelia P. Moses, author

• Eric Talmadge. "Deserter Adjusting to Life on Japan Island". Associated Press. January 31, 2005.
• Richard Pyle. "World War II P-38 fighter discovered in Wales." Associated Press. November 14, 2007.

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John Pellam- Mayor of the town. Responsible for upgrading the waste water treatment plant and building sidewalks in town without increasing tax base.