Edgecombe County, North Carolina

Edgecombe County ( or  ) is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,900. Its county seat is Tarboro.

Edgecombe County is part of the Rocky Mount, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
This area was historically home to the Tuscarora, a Native American tribe who were Iroquoian language speakers. Other Iroquoian peoples had historically been concentrated further north around the Great Lakes. The Tuscarora were the most numerous Indigenous people in the Rocky Mount area. They lived along the Roanoke, Neuse, Tar (Torhunta or Narhontes), and Pamlico rivers.

After the 18th-century wars of 1711–1713 (known as the Tuscarora War) against English colonists and their Indigenous allies, most of the surviving Tuscarora left North Carolina and migrated north to Pennsylvania and New York, over a period of 90 years. By 1722 the leaders declared the migration complete and the official tribe based in the North. Descendants of the Tuscarora still live in some parts of Edgecombe County.

The current county was formed by Anglo Europeans in 1741 from Bertie County. It was named for Richard Edgcumbe, a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1701 to 1742 and a lord of the treasury. He became 1st Baron Richard Edgecombe in 1742.

In 1746 part of Edgecombe County became Granville County; in 1758 another portion became Halifax County; and in 1777 yet another part became Nash County. In 1855 the formation of Wilson County from parts of Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County reduced Edgecombe to its present size, with a minor boundary adjustments.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 506.87 sqmi, of which 505.44 sqmi is land and 1.43 sqmi (0.28%) is water.

State and local protected areas

 * Lower Fishing Creek Game Land (part)
 * Tar River Game Land

Major water bodies

 * Cokey Swamp
 * Deep Creek
 * Fishing Creek
 * Swift Creek
 * Tar River
 * Town Creek

Adjacent counties

 * Halifax County – north
 * Martin County – east
 * Pitt County – south-southeast
 * Wilson County – southwest
 * Nash County – west

Major highways

 * (Princeville)
 * (Rocky Mount)
 * (Princeville)
 * (Rocky Mount)
 * (Rocky Mount)

Major infrastructure

 * Carolina Connector Intermodal Terminal, owned by CSX Transportation
 * Rocky Mount Station

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 48,900 people, 21,151 households, and 14,408 families residing in the county.

2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 56,552 people living in the county. 57.4% were Black or African American, 38.8% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 2.3% of some other race and 1.0% of two or more races. 3.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 55,606 people, 20,392 households, and 14,804 families living in the county. The population density was 110 /mi2. There were 24,002 housing units at an average density of 48 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 57.46% Black or African American, 40.06% White, 0.20% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.56% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 2.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,392 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.20% were married couples living together, 21.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,983, and the median income for a family was $35,902. Males had a median income of $27,300 versus $21,649 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,435. About 16.00% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.50% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics
Edgecombe County is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments.

The North Carolina Department of Corrections previously operated the Fountain Correctional Center for Women in an unincorporated area in the county, near Rocky Mount. It closed in December 2014.

Education
Edgecombe County Public Schools has 14 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to thirteenth grade. These are separated into four high schools, four middle schools, five elementary schools, and one K–8 school. It was formed in 1993 from the merger of the old Edgecombe County Schools and Tarboro City Schools systems.

The county is home to Edgecombe Community College with campuses in Tarboro and Rocky Mount.

City

 * Rocky Mount (largest community; partially located also in Nash County)

Towns

 * Conetoe
 * Leggett
 * Macclesfield
 * Pinetops
 * Princeville
 * Sharpsburg
 * Speed
 * Tarboro (county seat)
 * Whitakers

Townships
The county is divided into fourteen townships, which are both numbered and named:


 * 1 (Tarboro)
 * 2 (Lower Conetoe)
 * 3 (Upper Conetoe)
 * 4 (Deep Creek)
 * 5 (Lower Fishing Creek)
 * 6 (Upper Fishing Creek)
 * 7 (Swift Creek)
 * 8 (Sparta)
 * 9 (Otter Creek)
 * 10 (Lower Town Creek)
 * 11 (Walnut Creek)
 * 12 (Rocky Mount)
 * 13 (Cokey)
 * 14 (Upper Town Creek)

Unincorporated communities

 * Crisp
 * Mercer

Notable people

 * Duncan Lamont Clinch (1787–1849) – born at Ard-Lamont in Edgecombe County, American Army officer in the First and Second Seminole Wars
 * Dorsey Pender (1834–1863) – born at Pender's Crossroads in Edgecombe County, Major General in the Confederate Army.
 * Josiah Pender (1819-1864) – cousin to Dorsey Pender, who captured Fort Macon from Union soldiers in 1861.
 * Hugh Shelton (born 1942) – four-star General and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appointed by President Clinton.