Jacksonville | |
---|---|
Nickname(s): J-Ville, J-Vegas, Marine Town | |
Motto: "A Caring Community" | |
Coordinates: 34°45′35″N77°24′35″W / 34.75972°N 77.40972°W | |
Country | United States |
State | North Carolina |
County | Onslow |
Founded | 1757 |
Incorporated | 1842 |
Named For | Andrew Jackson |
Government | |
• Mayor | Sammy Phillips [1] |
Area | |
• Total | 56.42 sq mi (146.14 km2) |
• Land | 48.80 sq mi (126.40 km2) |
• Water | 7.62 sq mi (19.74 km2) 13.51% |
Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 72,723 |
• Estimate (2023) | 72,879 |
• Density | 1,490.16/sq mi (575.35/km2) |
• Urban | 111,224 (US: 302nd) [4] |
• Urban density | 1,470.1/sq mi (567.6/km2) |
• Metro | 213,676 (US: 219th) |
Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
ZIP Codes | 28540, 28541, 28546 |
Area codes | 910, 472 |
FIPS code | 37-34200 [6] |
GNIS feature ID | 2404784 [3] |
Website | jacksonvillenc |
Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-most populous city in North Carolina. [7] Jacksonville is the county seat and most populous community of Onslow County, which is coterminous with the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States, with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically increasing over the past 80 years, from 783 in the 1930 census to 72,723 in the 2020 census. [8] [7]
It is the home of the United States Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station. Jacksonville is located adjacent to North Carolina's Crystal Coast area.
After the end of the Tuscarora wars in 1713 and the forced removal of Native American tribes was followed by permanent settlement of the regions between New Bern and Wilmington. The New River became a major production center for naval stores like turpentine. The downtown waterfront park is built on the site original site of Wantland's Ferry. [9]
In 1752, a devastating hurricane destroyed the county seat of Johnston, and Wantlands Ferry, located further up the New River, at the present site of Jacksonville, [10] [9] was chosen as the site of the new county courthouse. The area was later known as Onslow Courthouse. In 1842, the town was incorporated and renamed Jacksonville in honor of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson. [9] The town was briefly captured and occupied in November 1862 by a raiding party led by U.S. Navy Lt. William B. Cushing. [11]
Jacksonville and Onslow County continued to rely on naval stores, lumber, and tobacco crops for industry. In 1939, Colonel George W. Gillette of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers surveyed and mapped the area from Fort Monroe, Virginia to Fort Sumter, South Carolina which included the Onslow County coastline and the New River. The map is believed to have fostered the interest of the War and Navy Departments in establishing an amphibious training base in the area. Congressman Graham Arthur Barden of New Bern lobbied Congress to appropriate funds for the purchase of about 100,000 acres (400 km2) along the eastern bank of the New River. The establishment in 1941 of Marine Barracks, New River, later renamed Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, led to the relocation of 700 families. While the landowners were compensated, many of the families displaced were sharecroppers who did not own the land on which their houses were built, and did not receive compensation for their structures. Some African American families were able to purchase property from Raymond Kellum and established the community of Kellumtown. Other displaced families established communities in Georgetown, Pickettown, Bell Fork, and Sandy Run. The latter communities have since been absorbed by Jacksonville. Colonel Gillette had planned to retire near the small village of Marine, ironically named after a local family whose surname was Marine, but lost his land to the acquisition, as well. [12] [13] [14]
Construction of Camp Lejeune caused a population explosion in the small town of about 800 inhabitants, as new workers migrated to the area. Growth continued to be fueled by both young Marine families and military retirees. Today, Jacksonville's primary industry is retail sales and services. The primary migration draw continues to be the U.S. Marine Corps. [15]
The Bank of Onslow and Jacksonville Masonic Temple, Mill Avenue Historic District, and Pelletier House and Wantland Spring are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [16]
In 2016, Jacksonville became the first jurisdiction to adopt a paid holiday honoring the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which made slavery in the United States and its territories illegal. The resolution of adoption mentions "the prevention of the modern slavery" which it describes as "human trafficking", including child labor and military service. [17]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56.42 square miles (146.1 km2), of which 48.80 square miles (126.4 km2) is land and 7.62 square miles (19.7 km2) (13.51%) is water. [2] It is about 60 minutes from Wilmington and 15 minutes from the Intracoastal Waterway.
Climate data for Jacksonville, North Carolina (Marine Corps Air Station New River) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1955–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) | 94 (34) | 92 (33) | 95 (35) | 99 (37) | 101 (38) | 102 (39) | 101 (38) | 97 (36) | 95 (35) | 89 (32) | 82 (28) | 102 (39) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 74.8 (23.8) | 77.4 (25.2) | 82.6 (28.1) | 86.6 (30.3) | 91.6 (33.1) | 95.8 (35.4) | 96.3 (35.7) | 95.2 (35.1) | 91.6 (33.1) | 86.3 (30.2) | 81.0 (27.2) | 75.9 (24.4) | 97.5 (36.4) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 56.0 (13.3) | 59.3 (15.2) | 65.8 (18.8) | 74.0 (23.3) | 80.4 (26.9) | 86.5 (30.3) | 89.3 (31.8) | 87.8 (31.0) | 83.3 (28.5) | 75.0 (23.9) | 66.2 (19.0) | 59.0 (15.0) | 73.5 (23.1) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 45.6 (7.6) | 48.4 (9.1) | 54.5 (12.5) | 62.9 (17.2) | 70.4 (21.3) | 77.5 (25.3) | 80.9 (27.2) | 79.6 (26.4) | 74.9 (23.8) | 64.9 (18.3) | 55.1 (12.8) | 48.7 (9.3) | 63.6 (17.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.2 (1.8) | 37.5 (3.1) | 43.1 (6.2) | 51.8 (11.0) | 60.5 (15.8) | 68.5 (20.3) | 72.5 (22.5) | 71.4 (21.9) | 66.5 (19.2) | 54.8 (12.7) | 44.0 (6.7) | 38.4 (3.6) | 53.7 (12.1) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 18.3 (−7.6) | 21.8 (−5.7) | 26.5 (−3.1) | 34.5 (1.4) | 46.6 (8.1) | 57.0 (13.9) | 64.3 (17.9) | 62.9 (17.2) | 54.6 (12.6) | 37.8 (3.2) | 27.8 (−2.3) | 23.8 (−4.6) | 16.2 (−8.8) |
Record low °F (°C) | 0 (−18) | 9 (−13) | 12 (−11) | 25 (−4) | 33 (1) | 45 (7) | 54 (12) | 54 (12) | 44 (7) | 24 (−4) | 19 (−7) | −5 (−21) | −5 (−21) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.96 (101) | 3.50 (89) | 3.79 (96) | 3.35 (85) | 4.20 (107) | 5.24 (133) | 6.18 (157) | 7.48 (190) | 7.45 (189) | 4.13 (105) | 3.55 (90) | 3.68 (93) | 56.51 (1,435) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.6 (1.5) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.4 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 8.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 10.8 | 9.5 | 9.3 | 10.4 | 127.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
Source: NOAA [18] [19] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 60 | — | |
1880 | 94 | 56.7% | |
1890 | 170 | 80.9% | |
1900 | 309 | 81.8% | |
1910 | 505 | 63.4% | |
1920 | 656 | 29.9% | |
1930 | 783 | 19.4% | |
1940 | 873 | 11.5% | |
1950 | 3,960 | 353.6% | |
1960 | 13,491 | 240.7% | |
1970 | 16,289 | 20.7% | |
1980 | 18,237 | 12.0% | |
1990 | 30,013 | 64.6% | |
2000 | 66,715 | 122.3% | |
2010 | 70,145 | 5.1% | |
2020 | 72,723 | 3.7% | |
2023 (est.) | 72,879 | [7] | 0.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census [20] 2020 [7] |
Race | Number | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 38,661 | 53.16% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 12,728 | 17.5% |
Native American | 334 | 0.46% |
Asian | 2,358 | 3.24% |
Pacific Islander | 432 | 0.59% |
Other/mixed | 4,670 | 6.42% |
Hispanic or Latino | 13,540 | 18.62% |
As of the 2020 census, 72,723 people, 21,986 households, and 15,491 families resided in the city.
At the 2000 census, [6] there were 66,715 people, 17,175 households, and 13,533 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,500.0 inhabitants per square mile (579.2/km2). The 18,312 housing units averaged 411.7 per square mile (159.0/km2). The racial composition of the city was 63.94% White, 23.96% African American, 2.07% Asian, 0.75% Native American, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 5.42% some other race, and 3.67% two or more races.
Of the 17,175 households, 49.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were not families. About 16.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.8
In the city, the population was distributed as 24.3% under 18, 36.3% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 8.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 22 years. Jacksonville has been named the youngest city in the nation (lowest median age) on various lists. For every 100 females, there were 156.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 178.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,544, and for a family was $33,763. Males had a median income of $17,121 versus $19,931 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,237. About 12.5% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to the city's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, [22] the top employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of employees |
---|---|---|
1 | United States Department of Defense | 1000+ |
2 | Onslow County Schools | 1000+ |
3 | Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune | 1000+ |
4 | Onslow Memorial Hospital | 1000+ |
5 | Onslow County | 1000+ |
6 | Walmart | 1000+ |
7 | Coastal Carolina Community College | 500–999 |
8 | Convergys | 500–999 |
9 | City of Jacksonville | 500–999 |
10 | Food Lion | 250–499 |
11 | Coastal Enterprises | 250–499 |
12 | McDonald's | 250–499 |
13 | Lowe's | 250–499 |
14 | Alorica | 250–499 |
15 | Stanadyne | 250–499 |
The mayor of Jacksonville is Sammy Phillips. [1] The city manager is Joshua W Ray, and the deputy city manager is Ron Massey. [23] The postmaster of Jacksonville is Jamie Thompson. [24]
The Jacksonville City Council members (as of 2024) are: [1]
Onslow County Schools serves the city, except for areas on U.S. military bases, including Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River; the military areas are served by Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. [25]
Alternative school
Elementary schools
Middle schools
High schools
MCAS New River is zoned to Delalio Elementary School in MCAS New River and Brewster Middle School and Lejeune High School in Camp Lejeune. [26]
In 2009, the Jacksonville metropolitan statistical area ranked as the ninth-highest in the United States for ratio of commuters who walked to work (8.1%). [27]
The city's commercial air services are filled by Albert J. Ellis Airport in nearby Richlands.
Onslow County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 204,576. Its county seat is Jacksonville. The county was created in 1734 as Onslow Precinct and gained county status in 1739. Onslow County comprises the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. The southern border is the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,172, making it the fourth-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Trenton. Jones County is part of the New Bern, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located, and is a part of the Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, NC Combined Statistical Area. The population was 57,303 at the 2020 census, which makes Burlington the 18th-most populous city in North Carolina.
Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,875 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. It is commonly known as "Original Washington" or "Little Washington" to distinguish it from Washington, D.C. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles (32 km) to the west.
Morganton is a city in and county seat of Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 17,474 at the 2020 census. Morganton is approximately 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Charlotte and 57 miles (92 km) east of Asheville.
Morehead City is a port town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast.
Havelock is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 20,735 at the 2010 census. The city is home to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, the world's largest Marine Corps air station, and home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
New Bern is a city in and the county seat of Craven County, North Carolina, United States. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 31,291. It is located at the confluence of the Neuse and the Trent rivers, near the headwaters of Pamlico Sound on the North Carolina coast. It lies 112 miles (180 km) east of Raleigh, 89 miles (143 km) north of Wilmington, and 162 miles (261 km) south of Norfolk.
Holly Ridge is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The 2010 population was 1,268. The 2020 census population was 4,171.
Richlands is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 2,287. It is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Incorporated on March 29, 1880, it was the first town in Onslow County to have its own library and museum. Richlands was also the first town in Onslow County to have a female mayor, Annette Hargett.
Sneads Ferry is a census-designated place (CDP) in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second largest municipality in Onslow County, behind Jacksonville and is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Once a rural fishing village, Sneads Ferry has experienced a surge in development since 2000. Based on U.S. Census data, the study area has grown from 5,425 residents in 2000 to approximately 9,750 residents in 2014, an 80% increase. Growth primarily has been driven by accessibility to MCB Camp Lejeune from the gate on NC 172 and expansion of the United States Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) accessed from NC 210. Sneads Ferry is expected to continue growing rapidly at 3.3% annually, adding 17,500 new residents through 2040 reaching 20,000 in total population by 2030.
Greenville is the county seat and most populous city of Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. It is the principal city of the Greenville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the 12th-most populous city in North Carolina. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain. As of the 2020 census, there were 87,521 people in the city. The city has continued to see a population and economic boom with most of the growth being seen in the 20th and 21st centuries.
North Augusta is a city in Aiken and Edgefield counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina, on the north bank of the Savannah River. It lies directly across the river, and state border, from Augusta, Georgia. The population was 24,379 at the 2020 census, making it the 21st-most populous city in South Carolina. The city is included in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) and is part of the Augusta, Georgia, metropolitan area.
The New River is a 50-mile (80-km) long river in southeastern North Carolina in the United States. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The river has been plagued in more recent years by pollution by solid waste. It rises in northwestern Onslow County and flows east-southeast past Jacksonville, where it widens into a tidal estuary approximately two miles (3.2 km) wide. As an estuary it meanders through Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and enters the Atlantic in Onslow Bay, via the New River Inlet between two barrier islands. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway crosses the entrance of the river between the coast and the barrier island.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is a 246-square-mile (640-square-kilometer) United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its 14 miles of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports allows for fast deployments. The main base is supplemented by six satellite facilities: Marine Corps Air Station New River, Camp Geiger, Stone Bay, Courthouse Bay, Camp Johnson, and the Greater Sandy Run Training Area. The Marine Corps port facility is in Beaufort, at the southern tip of Radio Island. It is occupied only during military port operations.
Marine Corps Air Station New River is a United States Marine Corps helicopter and tilt-rotor base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. In 1972, the airfield was named McCutcheon Field for General Keith B. McCutcheon, one of the fathers of Marine Corps helicopter aviation. Near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, it shares some facilities with Camp Geiger.
Lejeune High School is a high school located on the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The school is operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of seven in the Camp Lejeune Dependant Schools (CLDS), which include one high school, one middle school, one primary school (PK–2), one intermediate school (3–5), and three elementary schools.
Verona is a small town in rural Onslow County, on the outskirts of Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States. It is located off U.S. Route 17, seven miles (11 km) to the south of Jacksonville, and ten miles (16 km) to the north of Holly Ridge. Verona is bordered by Highway 17 to the east, Verona Rd. to the north, and High Hill Rd. to the South. High Hill and Verona Rds. intersect to form the western boundary. The population of Verona in the 2000 census was approximately 178 people. The demographic breakdown was: Caucasian: 86%, Hispanic: 9%, African-American: < 5%, Other: < 2%.
Hubert is an unincorporated community in the eastern portion of Onslow County, North Carolina, United States, near the city of Swansboro. Hubert is part of the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The community is located on the northeast side of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The ZIP code for Hubert is 28539. Hubert’s main roads are Freedom Way, Hubert Boulevard, Sand Ridge Road, Riggs Road, and Queens Creek Road.
Onslow County Schools (OSC) is a school district headquartered in Jacksonville, North Carolina.