Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,784. The county seat is

Wilson Wilson may refer to: People * Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender * Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...

. The county comprises the Wilson Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included within the Rocky Mount–Wilson–

Roanoke Rapids Roanoke Rapids () is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,754 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also an anchor city of the Rocky Mou ...

Combined Statistical Area.

History

On February 13, 1855, the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

established Wilson County "out of portions of Edgecombe, Johnston, Nash, and Wayne Counties." The county was named for Colonel

Louis D. Wilson Louis Dicken Wilson (May 12, 1789 - August 12, 1847) was a North Carolinian politician and general in the United States Army.Johnston, Hugh"General Louis Dicken Wilson"./ref> He served in the General Assembly of North Carolina and the North Caro ...

U.S. Volunteers United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and the ...

, who died of fever while on leave from the state senate during the Mexican–American War. Wilson Speedway held 12

NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...

races at the county fairgrounds in Wilson between 1951 and 1960. The half mile dirt track operated between 1934 and 1989.

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 are land and (1.5%) are covered by water.

State and local protected site

Tobacco Farm Life Museum Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the c ...

Major water bodies

* Black Creek *

Buckhorn Reservoir Buckhorn Reservoir is a reservoir in Wilson County, North Carolina, USA, created by the Buckhorn Dam. The reservoir is the primary water supply for the city of Wilson. The original Buckhorn Dam was built in 1974, upstream from the current dam. Th ...

Contentnea Creek Contentnea Creek is a major tributary of the Neuse River in North Carolina, USA. It is part of the Neuse River Basin, and flows for 91 miles between the Buckhorn Reservoir (confluence of Moccasin and Turkey Creeks), where it begins, and Grifton, ...

* Lake Wilson *

Silver Lake Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

* Wiggins Mill Reservoir

Adjacent counties

* Nash County – north *

Edgecombe County Edgecombe County 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, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

– northeast *

Pitt County Pitt County is a county located in the inner banks (northeastern part) of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 170,243, making it the fourteenth-most populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is ...

– east * Greene County – southeast * Wayne County – south * Johnston County – southwest

Major highways

* * (Small section incomplete) * * * * * * * * * *

Major infrastructure

* Amtrak Thruway (Wilson Station) * Wilson Industrial Air Center * Wilson Station

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

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 78,784 people, 32,384 households, and 19,760 families residing in the county. The population density was 199 people per square mile (77/km²). There were 30,729 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km²). There were 28,613 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.10% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,116, and the median income for a family was $41,551. Males had a median income of $30,364 versus $21,997 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,102. About 13.80% of families and 18.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.70% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Wilson County government is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments. It has several law-enforcement agencies: * Wilson County Sheriff's Office * Wilson Police Department (City of Wilson) * Stantonsburg Police Department (Town of Stantonsburg) * Black Creek Police Department (Town of Black Creek) * Sharpsburg Police Department (Town of Sharpsburg)

Communities

City

(county seat and largest city)

Towns

* Black Creek * Elm City * Kenly (part) *

Lucama Lucama is a town in Wilson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,108 at the 2010 census. History The Lucama Municipal Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Geography Lucama is loc ...

* Saratoga * Sims * Stantonsburg * Sharpsburg (part)

Unincorporated communities

* Montclair * New Hope * Rock Ridge * Lamms Crossroads

Townships

* Black Creek * Cross Roads * Gardners * Old Fields * Saratoga * Springhill * Stantonsburg * Taylors * Toisnot * Wilson

References

External links

; Official * ; General information *
Wilson County Genealogical Society
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson County, North Carolina North Carolina counties 1855 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1855 Majority-minority counties in North Carolina