county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 144,171. Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
.
Randolph County is included in the
Greensboro
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
, which is also included in the Greensboro-
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
-High Point, NC
Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
.
In 2010, the center of population of North Carolina was located in Randolph County, near the town of Seagrove.
History
Some of the first European settlers in this area of the Piedmont and what would become the county were
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
Quakers, who settled along the Haw, Deep, and Eno rivers The county was formed in 1779 from
Guilford County
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. S ...
. It was named for
Peyton Randolph
Peyton Randolph (September 10, 1721 – October 22, 1775) was an American politician and planter who was a Founding Father of the United States. Born into Virginia's wealthiest and most powerful family, Randolph served as speaker of Virginia' ...
The Legislature of 1779, then sitting at Halifax, passed an act providing for the formation of a new county from parts of Guilford and Rowan, to be called Randolph.
Randolph County was the original location of the school that developed as Duke University.
The county is home to one of the last remaining
covered bridges
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...
in the state. The
Pisgah Covered Bridge
Pisgah Covered Bridge is a wooden covered bridge that spans the west fork of the Little River in Randolph County, North Carolina
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population w ...
, in Union Township in the southwestern part of the county, was destroyed by a flood in 2003, but has been rebuilt.
In 1911, a new county called Piedmont County was proposed, with High Point as its county seat, to be created from Guilford, Davidson, and Randolph counties. Many people appeared at the Guilford County courthouse to oppose the plan, vowing to go to the state legislature to protest. The state legislature voted down the plan in February 1911.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is covered by water.
Randolph County is located in the center of North Carolina, and the city of Asheboro (in the county) is the center point of North Carolina. Randolph County is located in the
section of central North Carolina, generally a region of gently rolling hills and woodlands. The central and western parts of the county contain the
Uwharrie Mountains
The Uwharrie Mountains () from the North Carolina Collection's website at the
Caraway Mountains
The Caraway Mountains are a mountain range located in western Randolph County and a section of eastern Davidson County, North Carolina. The mountains are located between the cities of Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Rand ...
. These two ranges are the remnants of a much-higher range of ancient peaks. Today, they rarely top above sea level, yet due to the relative low terrain around them, they still rise above their base.
The highest point in Randolph County is Shepherd Mountain, a peak in the Caraways. The
North Carolina Zoo
The North Carolina Zoo is a zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, housing 1,800 animals of more than 250 species, primarily representing Africa and North America. It is one of two state-supported zoos in the United States, with the other being the ...
is located atop Purgatory Mountain, one of the peaks of the Uwharries.
National protected area
*
Birkhead Mountains Wilderness
The Birkhead Mountains Wilderness was established by the 1984 North Carolina Wilderness Act, and it covers in the Uwharrie National Forest at the northern end of the Uwharrie Mountains, in central North Carolina. The goals are to protect and pre ...
*
Uwharrie National Forest
Uwharrie National Forest ( ) Talk Like A Tarheel from the North Car ...
State and local protected areas/sites
*
Liberty Raceway Park
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society f ...
*
North Carolina Zoo
The North Carolina Zoo is a zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, housing 1,800 animals of more than 250 species, primarily representing Africa and North America. It is one of two state-supported zoos in the United States, with the other being the ...
*
Pisgah Covered Bridge
Pisgah Covered Bridge is a wooden covered bridge that spans the west fork of the Little River in Randolph County, North Carolina
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population w ...
Major water bodies
*
Back Creek (Caraway Creek tributary)
Back Creek is a long 4th order tributary to Caraway Creek, in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Course
Back Creek rises on the Deep River divide about 3 miles south of Randleman in Randolph County, North Carolina. Back Creek then flows south-s ...
*
Bush Creek (Deep River tributary)
Bush Creek is a long 3rd order tributary to the Deep River in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Course
Bush Creek rises in a pond about 0.5 miles southwest of Lineberry in Randolph County, North Carolina and then flows south to join the Deep R ...
*
Caraway Creek (Uwharrie River tributary)
Caraway Creek is a long 5th order tributary to the Uwharrie River, in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Course
Caraway Creek rises on the Deep River divide about east of Progress in Randolph County, North Carolina. Caraway Creek then flows so ...
Little Caraway Creek (Caraway Creek tributary)
Little Caraway Creek is a long 3rd order tributary to Caraway Creek, in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Course
Little Caraway Creek rises on the Caraway Creek and Uwharrie River divide about 0.5 miles south of Hillsville in Randolph County, N ...
*
Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
Uwharrie River
The Uwharrie River () is a long river, in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina in the United States. It is a tributary of the Pee Dee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.
Course
The Uwharrie River rises in northwestern Randolph ...
Adjacent counties
*
Guilford County
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. S ...
- north
*
Alamance County
Alamance County (), from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 18, 2012. is a county in North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 171,415. Its county seat ...
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 144,171 people, 56,117 households, and 37,795 families residing in the county.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, 130,454 people, 50,659 households, and 37,335 families resided in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 166 people per square mile (64/km2). The 54,422 housing units averaged 69 per square mile (27/km2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 89.20% White, 5.63% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.01% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. About 6.63% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As with much of North Carolina, the Latino population of Randolph County continued to grow into the 21st century. In 2005, figures placed the Latino population as 9.3% of the county's total.
In 2000, of the 50,659 households, 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.30% were not families. About 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was distributed as 25.00% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,348, and for a family was $44,369. Males had a median income of $30,575 versus $22,503 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $18,236. About 6.80% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 11.50% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Randolph County is a member of the regional Piedmont Triad Council of Governments.
The county is one of the most
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
-dominated counties in the state. It has supported the Republican presidential candidate in all but three elections since 1916. No Democratic presidential nominee has carried the county since
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
in 1940, and
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
is the last Democrat to even tally 40 percent of the county's vote. In 1964, it was one of only 13 counties in the state to vote for Barry Goldwater, and the easternmost county in the state to do so. Republican dominance at the local level is so absolute that in some cases, Republican candidates and incumbents run unopposed.
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
Liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
* Asheboro
* Archdale
* Back Creek
* Brower
* Cedar Grove
* Coleridge
* Columbia
* Concord
* Farmer
* Franklinville
* Grant
* Level Cross
* Liberty
* New Hope
* New Market
* Pleasant Grove
* Providence
* Randleman
* Richland
* Tabernacle
* Trinity
* Union
Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake ...
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer m ...
Sam Ard
Samuel Julian Ard (February 14, 1939April 2, 2017) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He won two NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series championships, in 1983 and 1984. Ard also made one NASCAR Winston Cup start. He reti ...
- NASCAR driver; 1983 and 1984 Busch Series champion
*
Adam Petty
Adam Kyler Petty (July 10, 1980 – May 12, 2000) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He was the fourth generation from the Petty family to drive in races in the highest division of NASCAR racing, mostly in what was then kno ...
-
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
driver. Son of Kyle Petty. Killed in
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
.
*
Braxton Craven
Braxton Craven (August 22, 1822 – November 7, 1882) was an American educator. He served as the second president of the institution that became Duke University from 1842 to 1863 and then again from 1866 to 1882. The institution was known as Uni ...
- educator and second president of Trinity College, which later moved to
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
* Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
and became Duke University.
* Henderson Luelling, Quaker abolitionist, horticulturist (born here)
*
Gideon Morris
Gideon Morris (c. 1756 – April 1798) was an early American settler and trans-Appalachian pioneer. He was a part of the Watauga Association and is most known for founding the city of Morristown, Tennessee.
Biography
Gideon Morris was born in R ...
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
drag queen
A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...
& contestant of
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty (born June 2, 1960) is an American former stock car racing driver, and current racing commentator. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of racer Adam Petty, who was killed in a crash d ...
- NASCAR driver. Son of Richard Petty
*
Lee Petty
Lee Arnold Petty (March 14, 1914 – April 5, 2000) was an American stock car racing driver who competed during the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR and one of its first superstars. He was NASCAR's first three-time Cup ch ...
- NASCAR pioneer. Father of Richard Petty
* Rufus Hussey - The Beanshooter Man who appeared on
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
List of future Interstate Highways
In the United States, future Interstate Highways include proposals to establish new mainline (one- and two-digit) routes to the Interstate Highway System. Excluded from this article are auxiliary Interstate Highways (designated by three-digit nu ...