Camden County, North Carolina

Camden County
Consolidated city-county
Camden County Courthouse
Flag Seal Logo
Motto:  "Boundless Opportunities."
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°20′N76°10′W / 36.34°N 76.16°W / 36.34; -76.16
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1777 (Consolidated July 1, 2006) [1]
Named after	Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden
Seat	Camden
Largest community	Camden
Area
• Total	310.25 sq mi (803.5 km2)
• Land	240.33 sq mi (622.5 km2)
• Water	69.92 sq mi (181.1 km2)  22.54%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,355
• Estimate  (2024)	11,184
• Density	43.00/sq mi (16.60/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.camdencountync.gov

Camden County is a consolidated city-county ^[1] located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,355, ^[2] making it the fourth-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Camden. ^[3] Camden County is included in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area. ^[4]

History

The county was formed in 1777 from part of Pasquotank County. It was named for Charles Pratt, 1st Lord Camden, ^[5] a British politician who had opposed the Stamp Act and was sympathetic towards American colonists. ^[6] The county is the site of the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal. ^[7] The first county courthouse was constructed in 1782 and was replaced in 1847. ^[6] It was the site of the Battle of South Mills in April 1862, during the American Civil War. ^[8]

Shiloh Baptist Church, founded around 1727 by Paul Palmer, is the oldest Baptist church in North Carolina. ^[9] It is located in the Shiloh township.

Though technically there are (or were) no incorporated municipalities in Camden County (with the exception of a small portion of Elizabeth City; most of which is in bordering Pasquotank County), the county became the first consolidated city-county entity in North Carolina on July 1, 2006. ^{[1] [10]}

Geography

Camden County, NC [11]
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     3.7     51 31     3.4     54 33     3.9     61 39     3.5     71 47     3.9     78 56     4.4     86 66     5.5     89 70     5.5     87 68     5     82 63     3.5     73 51     3.3     64 43     3.6     54 34 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     94     10 −1     86     12 1     99     16 4     89     21 9     99     26 14     112     30 19     140     32 21     140     30 20     127     28 17     89     23 11     84     18 6     91     12 1 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm

Interactive map of Camden County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 310.25 square miles (803.5 km²), of which 240.33 square miles (622.5 km²) is land and 69.92 square miles (181.1 km²) (22.54%) is water. ^[12]

National protected area

• Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (part)

State and local protected areas

• Dismal Swamp State Park
• North River Game Land (part)

Major water bodies

• Albemarle Sound
• Intracoastal Waterway
• North River
• Pasquotank River

Adjacent counties

• City of Suffolk, Virginia – north
• City of Chesapeake, Virginia – north
• Currituck County – east
• Tyrrell County – south
• Pasquotank County – southwest
• Gates County – northwest

Major highways

• 
  Future I-87
• US 17
• 
  US 17 Bus.
• US 158
• NC 34
• NC 343

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	4,022		—
1800	4,191		4.2%
1810	5,347		27.6%
1820	6,347		18.7%
1830	6,733		6.1%
1840	5,663		−15.9%
1850	6,049		6.8%
1860	5,343		−11.7%
1870	5,361		0.3%
1880	6,274		17.0%
1890	5,667		−9.7%
1900	5,474		−3.4%
1910	5,640		3.0%
1920	5,382		−4.6%
1930	5,461		1.5%
1940	5,440		−0.4%
1950	5,223		−4.0%
1960	5,598		7.2%
1970	5,453		−2.6%
1980	5,829		6.9%
1990	5,904		1.3%
2000	6,885		16.6%
2010	9,980		45.0%
2020	10,355		3.8%
2024 (est.)	11,184	[13]	8.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [14] 1790–1960 [15] 1900–1990 [16] 1990–2000 [17] 2010 [18] 2020 [2]

2020 census

Camden County racial composition ^[19]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	8,200	79.19%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,049	10.13%
Native American	40	0.39%
Asian	118	1.14%
Pacific Islander	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed	607	5.86%
Hispanic or Latino	340	3.28%

As of the 2020 census, there were 10,355 people, 3,933 households, and 3,154 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, ^[20] there were 9,980 people, 2,662 households, and 2,023 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km²). There were 2,973 housing units at an average density of 12 units per square mile (4.6 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.1% White, 13.2% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. 2.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,662 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 20.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,493, and the median income for a family was $45,387. Males had a median income of $36,274 versus $24,875 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,681. 10.10% of the population and 7.90% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 12.60% are under the age of 18 and 20.30% are 65 or older.

Demographic change

The county's population changed little between 1830 and 1970, averaging at about 5,500 residents. It grew slightly between 1970 and 1990, and then grew rapidly between 1990 and 2000. ^[10]

Government and politics

Camden County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of governments.^{[ citation needed ]} It is represented by Bobby Hanig in the 1st district in the North Carolina State Senate and Edward Charles Goodwin in the 1st district in the North Carolina House of Representatives. ^[21]

United States presidential election results for Camden County, North Carolina ^[22]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1912	40	9.88%	303	74.81%	62	15.31%
1916	86	18.86%	368	80.70%	2	0.44%
1920	142	20.82%	540	79.18%	0	0.00%
1924	132	22.88%	436	75.56%	9	1.56%
1928	245	28.19%	624	71.81%	0	0.00%
1932	78	7.85%	915	92.05%	1	0.10%
1936	117	10.40%	1,008	89.60%	0	0.00%
1940	134	12.24%	961	87.76%	0	0.00%
1944	193	21.09%	722	78.91%	0	0.00%
1948	127	16.30%	576	73.94%	76	9.76%
1952	340	25.45%	996	74.55%	0	0.00%
1956	343	29.67%	813	70.33%	0	0.00%
1960	338	25.00%	1,014	75.00%	0	0.00%
1964	534	38.03%	870	61.97%	0	0.00%
1968	180	9.06%	707	35.58%	1,100	55.36%
1972	909	60.20%	556	36.82%	45	2.98%
1976	562	31.07%	1,231	68.05%	16	0.88%
1980	813	38.94%	1,212	58.05%	63	3.02%
1984	1,282	54.25%	1,075	45.49%	6	0.25%
1988	1,144	50.87%	1,081	48.07%	24	1.07%
1992	1,039	38.84%	1,153	43.10%	483	18.06%
1996	1,074	41.86%	1,186	46.22%	306	11.93%
2000	1,628	57.51%	1,187	41.93%	16	0.57%
2004	2,480	64.75%	1,339	34.96%	11	0.29%
2008	3,140	65.13%	1,597	33.13%	84	1.74%
2012	3,109	66.09%	1,508	32.06%	87	1.85%
2016	3,546	70.83%	1,274	25.45%	186	3.72%
2020	4,312	72.43%	1,537	25.82%	104	1.75%
2024	4,716	74.81%	1,522	24.14%	66	1.05%

Education

There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and Camden Early College. However, one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The Shiloh School sign is still visible on the top of the facade at the front of the building.

Communities

Map of Camden County with municipal and township labels

City

• Elizabeth City (mostly in Pasquotank County)

Census-designated places

• Camden (county seat and largest community)
• South Mills

Unincorporated communities

• Black Swamp
• Old Trap
• Shiloh

Townships

• Courthouse
• Shiloh
• South Mills

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Camden County, North Carolina

References

1. "Ordinance No. 2006-06-02". www.camdencountync.gov. June 19, 2006. Archived from the original on July 31, 2007. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
2. "QuickFacts: Camden County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget . July 21, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
5. Corbitt 2000, p. 56.
6. Jennings 2014, p. 8.
7. Jennings 2014, p. 7.
8. "Battle of South Mills, April 1862". North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. April 18, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
9. "People Called Baptists". Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Retrieved January 3, 2007.
10. Jennings 2014, p. 9.
11. "Camden County Weather". usa.com.
12. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
13. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
14. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
15. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
16. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
17. "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.
18. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
19. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
20. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
21. "Representation - North Carolina General Assembly". www.ncleg.gov. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 14, 2018.

Works cited

• Corbitt, David Leroy (2000). The formation of the North Carolina counties, 1663-1943 (reprint ed.). Raleigh: North Carolina Division of Archives and History. OCLC   46398241.
• Jennings, A. Burgess (2014). Camden County. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   9781439647196.

External links

• Geographic data related to Camden County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website