Chowan County, North Carolina

Chowan County
Chowan County
County
	Chowan County Courthouse
	Flag Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
	North Carolina's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 36°08′N 76°36′W / 36.13°N 76.60°W
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1668
Named for	Chowanoke Indian Tribe
Seat	Edenton
Largest community	Edenton
Area
• Total	233.65 sq mi (605.2 km2)
• Land	172.66 sq mi (447.2 km2)
• Water	60.99 sq mi (158.0 km2) 26.10%
Population (2020)
• Total	13,708
• Estimate (2023)	13,891
• Density	79.39/sq mi (30.65/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.chowancounty-nc.gov

Chowan County (/tʃoʊˈwɒn/ choh-WON)^[1] 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.^[2] Its county seat is Edenton.^[3] The county was created between 1668 and 1671 as Shaftesbury Precinct and later renamed Chowan Precinct. It gained county status in 1739.^[4]^[5]

History

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.^[6]

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.^[7] The county was named after the historical Chowanoc American Indian tribe, also called Chowan.^[8]^[9]

Geography

Interactive map of Chowan County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 233.65 square miles (605.2 km²), of which 172.66 square miles (447.2 km²) is land and 61.99 square miles (160.6 km²) (26.10%) is water.^[10] 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 Reginal Airport

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	4,988		—
1800	5,132		2.9%
1810	5,297		3.2%
1820	6,464		22.0%
1830	6,697		3.6%
1840	6,690		−0.1%
1850	6,721		0.5%
1860	6,842		1.8%
1870	6,450		−5.7%
1880	7,900		22.5%
1890	9,167		16.0%
1900	10,258		11.9%
1910	11,303		10.2%
1920	10,649		−5.8%
1930	11,282		5.9%
1940	11,572		2.6%
1950	12,540		8.4%
1960	11,729		−6.5%
1970	10,764		−8.2%
1980	12,558		16.7%
1990	13,506		7.5%
2000	14,526		7.6%
2010	14,793		1.8%
2020	13,708		−7.3%
2023 (est.)	13,891	^[2]	1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census^[11] 1790–1960^[12] 1900–1990^[13] 1990–2000^[14] 2010^[15] 2020^[2]

2020 census

Chowan County racial composition^[16]
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^[17] there were 14,793 people, 5,580 households, and 4,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile (32 people/km²). There were 6,443 housing units at an average density of 37 units per square mile (14 units/km²). 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.

United States presidential election results for Chowan County, North Carolina^[18]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	4,471	57.44%	3,247	41.71%	66	0.85%
2016	4,014	55.53%	2,992	41.39%	222	3.07%
2012	3,891	51.85%	3,556	47.38%	58	0.77%
2008	3,773	50.23%	3,688	49.09%	51	0.68%
2004	2,967	55.09%	2,406	44.67%	13	0.24%
2000	2,415	49.39%	2,430	49.69%	45	0.92%
1996	1,659	38.80%	2,239	52.36%	378	8.84%
1992	1,661	36.86%	2,136	47.40%	709	15.73%
1988	1,884	51.56%	1,756	48.06%	14	0.38%
1984	2,171	55.41%	1,736	44.31%	11	0.28%
1980	1,424	38.91%	2,146	58.63%	90	2.46%
1976	1,019	35.27%	1,862	64.45%	8	0.28%
1972	1,906	66.39%	936	32.60%	29	1.01%
1968	798	21.60%	1,201	32.50%	1,696	45.90%
1964	787	31.70%	1,696	68.30%	0	0.00%
1960	533	21.73%	1,920	78.27%	0	0.00%
1956	556	27.24%	1,485	72.76%	0	0.00%
1952	537	27.05%	1,448	72.95%	0	0.00%
1948	124	9.73%	1,070	83.99%	80	6.28%
1944	166	11.22%	1,314	88.78%	0	0.00%
1940	87	5.32%	1,547	94.68%	0	0.00%
1936	96	5.83%	1,550	94.17%	0	0.00%
1932	64	3.75%	1,639	95.96%	5	0.29%
1928	352	27.33%	936	72.67%	0	0.00%
1924	98	12.00%	714	87.39%	5	0.61%
1920	209	16.08%	1,091	83.92%	0	0.00%
1916	91	12.96%	610	86.89%	1	0.14%
1912	60	7.50%	663	82.88%	77	9.63%

Communities

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

^ Talk Like A Tarheel Archived June 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c "QuickFacts: Chowan County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ "North Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". North Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
^ Powell, William S. (2006). "Chowan County". NCpedia. University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
^ "Chowan County, North Carolina | Learn | FamilySearch.org". Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
^ "Edenton Bell Battery". Edenton Historical Commission. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
^ "Chowan County Profile". Website. epodunk. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
^ "Chowanoc Indian Tribe". Website. AccessGenealogy. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.