Jones County, North Carolina

Jones County
County
Jones County Courthouse
Flag Seal Logo
Motto:  "Small Living. Big Opportunity. Ready to Grow."
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°02′N77°22′W / 35.03°N 77.36°W / 35.03; -77.36
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1779
Named after	Willie Jones
Seat	Trenton
Largest community	Maysville
Area
• Total	473.72 sq mi (1,226.9 km2)
• Land	471.39 sq mi (1,220.9 km2)
• Water	2.33 sq mi (6.0 km2)  0.49%
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,172
• Estimate  (2023)	9,401
• Density	19.59/sq mi (7.56/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	jonescountync.gov

Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,172, ^[1] making it the fourth-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Trenton. ^[2] Jones County is part of the New Bern, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area.

There are only three incorporated towns in Jones County, Pollocksville, Trenton, and Maysville. Two major highways in the county include: US 17 which runs south to Jacksonville, and north to New Bern and US 70 which runs west to Kinston, and east to Morehead City.

History

The area eventually encompassing Jones County was inhabited by Tuscarora Native Americans before the arrival of German and Swiss settlers in the early 1700s. ^[3] The county was formed in 1779 from the southwestern part of Craven County. It was named for Willie Jones, ^[4] a planter, slaveholder, Revolutionary leader, and president of the North Carolina Committee of Safety during the war. He opposed state ratification of the United States Constitution and did not attend the Fayetteville Convention, which voted to ratified it. ^{[5] [6]} In 1784, the town of Trenton was made the county seat of government. ^[3]

The rural Low Country county was originally developed for plantations, which were dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans. The county's has heavily relied on agriculture (mostly tobacco) and lumber from its nearby forest. ^[3]

In 2004, the county's population slightly rose above 10,000 in a census estimate but has since decreased to 9,172 in the 2020 census. ^[1]

Geography

Interactive map of Jones County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 473.72 square miles (1,226.9 km²), of which 471.39 square miles (1,220.9 km²) is land and 2.33 square miles (6.0 km²) (0.49%) is water. ^[7] The county is dominated by farmland and swamps. ^[8]

National protected areas

• Catfish Lake South Wilderness (part)
• Croatan National Forest (part)
• Pond Pine Wilderness (part)

State and local protected areas

• Croatan Game Land (part) ^[9]
• Hofmann Forest (part)

Major water bodies

See also: Category:Rivers of Jones County, North Carolina

• Beaverdam Creek
• Catfish Lake
• Trent River

Adjacent counties

• Craven County – northeast
• Carteret County – southeast
• Onslow County – south
• Duplin County – west
• Lenoir County – northwest

Major highways

• 
  Future I-42
• US 17
• US 70
• US 258
• NC 41
• NC 58 ^[10]

Major infrastructure

• Marine Corps Outlying Field Oak Grove, small military base near Pollocksville

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	4,796		—
1800	4,339		−9.5%
1810	4,968		14.5%
1820	5,216		5.0%
1830	5,608		7.5%
1840	4,945		−11.8%
1850	5,038		1.9%
1860	5,730		13.7%
1870	5,002		−12.7%
1880	7,491		49.8%
1890	7,403		−1.2%
1900	8,226		11.1%
1910	8,721		6.0%
1920	9,912		13.7%
1930	10,428		5.2%
1940	10,926		4.8%
1950	11,004		0.7%
1960	11,005		0.0%
1970	9,779		−11.1%
1980	9,705		−0.8%
1990	9,414		−3.0%
2000	10,381		10.3%
2010	10,153		−2.2%
2020	9,172		−9.7%
2023 (est.)	9,401	[1]	2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [11] 1790–1960 [12] 1900–1990 [13] 1990–2000 [14] 2010 [15] 2020 [1]

2020 census

Jones County racial composition ^[16]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	5,787	63.09%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,564	27.95%
Native American	42	0.46%
Asian	32	0.35%
Other/Mixed	353	3.85%
Hispanic or Latino	394	4.3%

As of the 2020 census, there were 9,172 people, 4,045 households, and 2,644 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, ^[17] there were 10,381 people, 4,061 households, and 2,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8.5 people/km²). There were 4,679 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 60.97% White, 35.87% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.70% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 2.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,061 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,882, and the median income for a family was $35,180. Males had a median income of $28,662 versus $19,536 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,916. About 14.20% of families and 16.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.30% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

Law, government and politics

Jones County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments. The Jones County Government relies entirely upon an all volunteer (non-paid) fire department force segregated by geographic location(s). The Law Enforcement structure consists of one paid Pollocksville Police Chief, one paid Maysville Police Chief, and an elected Sheriff with a small (less than 25 person force) to handle law enforcement, detention, and emergency communications. The county government relies heavily on volunteer deputization. Emergency ambulance services consist of one full-time medical unit dispatched from the town of Trenton and relies heavily on other volunteer EMS personnel geographically scattered around the county to assist with a medical emergency. Additional EMS transportation vehicles are subsidized by EMS services provided by adjacent counties or private enterprises. There is no animal control unit. The County Detention Facility is a 21-bed (3 female) facility located in the basement of the county courthouse and the detention staff double up as the communications/911 emergency communications staff.

United States presidential election results for Jones County, North Carolina ^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,409	62.40%	2,007	36.74%	47	0.86%
2020	3,280	59.37%	2,197	39.76%	48	0.87%
2016	2,974	57.92%	2,065	40.21%	96	1.87%
2012	2,837	54.24%	2,352	44.97%	41	0.78%
2008	2,817	53.89%	2,378	45.49%	32	0.61%
2004	2,607	57.77%	1,893	41.95%	13	0.29%
2000	2,114	53.33%	1,822	45.96%	28	0.71%
1996	1,682	45.28%	1,829	49.23%	204	5.49%
1992	1,438	37.39%	1,962	51.01%	446	11.60%
1988	1,649	45.78%	1,946	54.03%	7	0.19%
1984	2,062	50.30%	2,025	49.40%	12	0.29%
1980	1,401	38.60%	2,198	60.55%	31	0.85%
1976	948	31.48%	2,016	66.95%	47	1.56%
1972	1,650	58.93%	1,093	39.04%	57	2.04%
1968	361	10.72%	1,225	36.39%	1,780	52.88%
1964	776	26.71%	2,129	73.29%	0	0.00%
1960	585	23.35%	1,920	76.65%	0	0.00%
1956	415	17.53%	1,952	82.47%	0	0.00%
1952	331	16.52%	1,673	83.48%	0	0.00%
1948	113	8.04%	1,238	88.05%	55	3.91%
1944	211	14.73%	1,221	85.27%	0	0.00%
1940	233	14.53%	1,371	85.47%	0	0.00%
1936	188	10.74%	1,563	89.26%	0	0.00%
1932	132	8.33%	1,449	91.42%	4	0.25%
1928	658	57.52%	486	42.48%	0	0.00%
1924	179	20.50%	692	79.27%	2	0.23%
1920	385	28.54%	964	71.46%	0	0.00%
1916	233	24.66%	712	75.34%	0	0.00%
1912	35	4.40%	635	79.87%	125	15.72%

Recreation

Jones County lies 8 miles (13 km) west of the Atlantic Ocean but the only waterfront areas in the county are along the Trent and White Oak rivers. Part of the Great Dover Swamp also lies within the county lines. Many enjoy boating and fishing activities as well as camping at the 17 Family Campground along Highway 17 north in Maysville. The Croatan National Forest offers hiking trails and wildlife viewing and the wide open spaces of fields and forests are a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

Communities

Map of Jones County with municipal and township labels

Towns

• Maysville ^[8] (largest community; also in Onslow County)
• Pollocksville ^[8]
• Trenton (county seat) ^[19]

Unincorporated communities

• Comfort
• Oak Grove

Townships

The county is divided into seven townships, which are both numbered and named:

• 1 (White Oak)
• 2 (Pollocksville)
• 3 (Trenton)
• 4 (Cypress Creek)
• 5 (Tuckahoe)
• 6 (Chinquapin)
• 7 (Beaver Creek)

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Jones County, North Carolina
• Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, major military base in Onslow County

References

1. "QuickFacts: Jones County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Vocci, Robert Blair (2006). Powell, William S. (ed.). "Jones County". NCPedia. North Carolina Government & Heritage Library. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  170.
5. "Jones, Willie". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
6. Robinson, Blackwell P. (1988). Powell, William S. (ed.). "Jones, Willie". NCpedia. University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
7. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
8. Bryan et al. 2013, p. 43.
9. "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
10. Bryan et al. 2013, p. 44.
11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
13. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
14. "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 17, 2015.
15. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
16. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
17. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
19. Bryan et al. 2013, pp. 43–44.

Works cited

• Bryan, Sarah; Patterson, Beverly; Lanier, Michelle (2013). African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN   9781469612799.

External links

• Geographic data related to Jones County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website
• NCGenWeb Jones County, genealogy resources for the county