Martin County, North Carolina

Martin County
County
Old Martin County Courthouse in Williamston
Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°51′N77°07′W / 35.85°N 77.12°W / 35.85; -77.12
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	March 14, 1774
Named for	Josiah Martin
Seat	Williamston
Largest community	Williamston
Area
• Total	456.70 sq mi (1,182.8 km2)
• Land	456.41 sq mi (1,182.1 km2)
• Water	0.29 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.06%
Population  (2020)
• Total	22,031
• Estimate  (2023)	21,447
• Density	48.27/sq mi (18.64/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.martincountyncgov.com

Martin County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,031. ^[1] Its county seat is Williamston. ^[2]

History

The county was formed in 1774 from the southeastern part of Halifax County and the western part of Tyrrell County. It was named for Josiah Martin, the last royal governor of North Carolina (1771–75). ^[3] Whereas Dobbs County and Tryon County, named for Martin's predecessors Arthur Dobbs and William Tryon, were abolished after American independence, Martin County was neither abolished nor renamed, a fact which has been attributed to the popularity of Alexander Martin, twice governor of the state (1782–84, 1789–92).

The Martin County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. ^[4]

Geography

Interactive map of Matin County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 456.70 square miles (1,182.8 km²), of which 456.41 square miles (1,182.1 km²) is land and 0.29 square miles (0.75 km²) (0.06%) is water. ^[5]

State and local protected areas/sites

• Fort Branch Civil War Site
• Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land (part) ^[6]

Major water bodies

• Conoho Creek
• Etheridge Creek
• Gardiners Creek
• Hardison Mill Creek
• Long Creek
• Roanoke River
• Smithwick Creek
• Tranters Creek
• Welch Creek

Adjacent counties

• Bertie County – northeast
• Washington County – east
• Beaufort County – southeast
• Pitt County – southwest
• Edgecombe County – west
• Halifax County – northwest

Major highways

• 
  Future I-87
• US 13
• US 17
• US 64
• 
  US 64 Alt.
• 
  US 64 Bus.
• NC 11
• NC 42
• NC 111
• NC 125
• NC 142
• NC 171
• NC 903

Major infrastructure

• Martin County Airport

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	6,010		—
1800	5,629		−6.3%
1810	5,987		6.4%
1820	6,320		5.6%
1830	8,539		35.1%
1840	7,637		−10.6%
1850	8,307		8.8%
1860	10,195		22.7%
1870	9,647		−5.4%
1880	13,140		36.2%
1890	15,221		15.8%
1900	15,383		1.1%
1910	17,797		15.7%
1920	20,828		17.0%
1930	23,400		12.3%
1940	26,111		11.6%
1950	27,938		7.0%
1960	27,139		−2.9%
1970	24,730		−8.9%
1980	25,948		4.9%
1990	25,078		−3.4%
2000	25,593		2.1%
2010	24,505		−4.3%
2020	22,031		−10.1%
2023 (est.)	21,447	[1]	−2.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790–1960 [8] 1900–1990 [9] 1990–2000 [10] 2010 [11] 2020 [1]

2020 census

Martin County racial composition ^[12]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	11,528	52.33%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	8,868	40.25%
Native American	69	0.31%
Asian	98	0.44%
Pacific Islander	1	0.0%
Other/Mixed	572	2.6%
Hispanic or Latino	895	4.06%

As of the 2020 census, there were 22,031 people, 9,378 households, and 6,195 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, ^[13] there were 25,593 people, 10,020 households, and 7,194 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile (22 people/km²). There were 10,930 housing units at an average density of 24 units per square mile (9.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 52.54% White, 45.37% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 2.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,020 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.30% were married couples living together, 17.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% 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 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.50% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 86.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,793, and the median income for a family was $35,428. Males had a median income of $29,818 versus $19,167 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,102. About 16.30% of families and 20.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.50% of those under age 18 and 25.70% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Martin County is a member of the Mid-East Commission regional council of governments.

Politics

Martin County is a historically Democratic county; in 2004, it voted Republican for only the fourth time, the first three having been in the Republican landslides of 1872, 1972, and 1984. Barack Obama won the county back for the Democratic Party in both 2008 and 2012, but in 2016, it narrowly backed Donald Trump. In 2020, it narrowly supported Trump again, voting for a losing Republican nominee for the first time ever. ^[14] On the same day, Martin County voted to reelect Democratic Governor Roy Cooper in the North Carolina gubernatorial election.

United States presidential election results for Martin County, North Carolina ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	6,532	52.09%	5,911	47.14%	97	0.77%
2016	5,897	49.29%	5,846	48.86%	221	1.85%
2012	5,995	47.38%	6,583	52.03%	74	0.58%
2008	5,957	47.50%	6,539	52.14%	45	0.36%
2004	5,334	51.03%	5,102	48.81%	16	0.15%
2000	4,420	47.19%	4,929	52.63%	17	0.18%
1996	3,590	41.98%	4,500	52.62%	462	5.40%
1992	2,958	36.90%	4,069	50.76%	989	12.34%
1988	3,149	46.61%	3,598	53.26%	9	0.13%
1984	4,266	52.32%	3,870	47.47%	17	0.21%
1980	2,564	34.59%	4,750	64.09%	98	1.32%
1976	1,931	29.81%	4,518	69.75%	28	0.43%
1972	4,188	68.76%	1,840	30.21%	63	1.03%
1968	1,221	14.97%	3,118	38.22%	3,818	46.81%
1964	1,511	23.86%	4,821	76.14%	0	0.00%
1960	737	11.23%	5,826	88.77%	0	0.00%
1956	449	7.27%	5,730	92.73%	0	0.00%
1952	415	7.02%	5,493	92.98%	0	0.00%
1948	163	3.36%	4,636	95.53%	54	1.11%
1944	133	2.93%	4,408	97.07%	0	0.00%
1940	106	2.24%	4,628	97.76%	0	0.00%
1936	111	2.42%	4,477	97.58%	0	0.00%
1932	94	2.42%	3,781	97.37%	8	0.21%
1928	411	12.73%	2,818	87.27%	0	0.00%
1924	216	9.71%	1,999	89.88%	9	0.40%
1920	530	17.15%	2,561	82.85%	0	0.00%
1916	281	16.03%	1,472	83.97%	0	0.00%
1912	229	15.13%	1,251	82.63%	34	2.25%

Education

The primary and secondary public school functions are performed by Martin County Schools, a district covering the entire county. Martin Community College is located in Williamston.

Communities

Map of Martin County with municipal and township labels

Towns

• Bear Grass
• Everetts
• Hamilton
• Hassell
• Jamesville
• Oak City
• Parmele
• Robersonville
• Williamston (county seat and largest community)

Townships

• Bear Grass
• Cross Roads
• Goose Nest
• Griffins
• Hamilton
• Jamesville
• Poplar Point
• Robersonville
• Williams
• Williamston

Notable people

• Annie Moore Cherry, professor, author, and playwright
• Wilber Hardee, founder of Hardee's
• William Drew Robeson I, minister of Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Martin County, North Carolina
• North Carolina in the American Civil War

References

1. "QuickFacts: Martin County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  201.
4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
5. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
6. "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
9. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
10. "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 18, 2015.
11. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
12. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. "County winners, 1836-2016". Google Docs. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 16, 2018.

External links

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