Anson County, North Carolina Explained

County:Anson County
State:North Carolina
Ex Image:Anson County Courthouse, facade 01.jpg
Ex Image Cap:Anson County Courthouse and Confederate Monument in Wadesboro
Founded:1750
Seat Wl:Wadesboro
Largest City Wl:Wadesboro
City Type:community
Area Total Sq Mi:537.10
Area Land Sq Mi:531.46
Area Water Sq Mi:5.64
Area Percentage:1.05
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:22055
Pop Est As Of:2023
Population Est:21897
Population Density Sq Mi:41.50
Coordinates:34.98°N -80.11°W
Web:www.co.anson.nc.us
District:8th
Time Zone:Eastern
Seal:Anson County Seal.jpg
Motto:"Anson County - A great place to call home"
Flag:Flag of Anson County, NC.png

Anson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,055. Its county seat is Wadesboro.[1]

History

Anson County was originally occupied by the Catawba Siouan tribe as a vast territory with indefinite northern and western boundaries.

The county was formed in 1750 from Bladen County. It was named for George Anson, Baron Anson, a British admiral who circumnavigated the world. Anson purchased land in the state.[2] The county seat was designated at New Town in 1783. Four years later it was renamed Wadesboro.

Reductions to its extent began in 1753, when the northern part of it became Rowan County. In 1762 the western part of Anson County became Mecklenburg County. In 1779 the northern part of what remained of Anson County became Montgomery County, and the part east of the Pee Dee River became Richmond County. Finally, in 1842 the western part of Anson County was combined with the southeastern part of Mecklenburg County to become Union County.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (1.05%) is water.[4] It is bordered by the North Carolina counties of Stanly, Montgomery, Richmond, and Union, and the South Carolina county of Chesterfield.

National protected area

State and local protected areas/sites

Major water bodies

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Demographics

2020 census

Race!scope="col"
NumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)10,59348.03%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)9,83844.61%
Native American890.4%
Asian2211.0%
Pacific Islander40.02%
Other/Mixed6452.92%
Hispanic or Latino6653.02%
As of the 2020 census, there were 22,055 people,[8] 9,521 households, and 5,809 families residing in the county.

Anson is a majority minority county. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Anson's population declined by 18.2 percent.[9]

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 26,948 people. The racial makeup of the county was 48.58% African American, 47.15% White American, 1.07% Asian, 0.61% Native American, 1.25% multiracial and 1.32% of other race. People of Hispanic and Latino origin account for 3.02% of the population.[10]

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[11] there were 25,275 people, 9,204 households, and 6,663 families residing in the county. The population density was 48/mi2. There were 10,221 housing units at an average density of 19/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 51.64% Black or African American, 48.53% White, 0.45% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,204 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.80% were married couples living together, 19.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,849, and the median income for a family was $35,870. Males had a median income of $27,297 versus $20,537 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,853. About 15.50% of families and 17.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Anson County is governed by a board of commissioners, which constitutes seven members elected by district.[12]

The board of commissioners appoint a county manager who oversees county administration and implements the policies of the board.[13]

Anson County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.[14]

Anson County, like several neighboring rural counties, has historically favored Democratic candidates in most elections. After 2012, Republicans enjoyed more electoral success in the region, though Anson County voted more Democratic than its neighbors. In 2016, the Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, won the county by a margin of 13 percent, though in 2020 the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, won by only four percent.[15] The county favored a Republican candidate for federal office in 2022—the first time since 1972.[16]

Education

There are 11 schools in the Anson County Schools system that serve the students of the county.

The county is served by South Piedmont Community College, which has a campus near Polkton.[17] [18]

Communities

File:Comté d'Anson.png|right|thumb|450px|Clickable map of Anson County

rect 449 247 552 282 Pee Dee National Wildlife Refugepoly 415 181 440 172 452 204 424 213 Ansonvillepoly 603 423 629 421 628 447 602 451 Lilesvillepoly 616 696 641 698 639 722 613 720 McFarlanpoly 581 610 607 607 607 634 578 636 Morvenpoly 192 379 218 379 218 406 192 405 Peachlandpoly 282 344 282 383 315 385 318 420 334 415 337 389 320 375 317 344 Polktonpoly 394 408 455 410 500 410 511 431 536 436 535 475 510 492 456 471 455 428 391 419 Wadesboro

desc bottom-left

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Ghost town

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Anson County.[19]

= county seat

RankNameTypePopulation
(2020 census)
1 WadesboroTown5,008
2PolktonTown2,250
3AnsonvilleTown440
4LilesvilleTown395
5PeachlandTown390
6MorvenTown329
7McFarlanTown94

Notable people

See also

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Find a County . June 7, 2011 . National Association of Counties . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx . May 31, 2011 .
  2. Book: Gannett. The Origin of Certain Place Names. https://web.archive.org/web/20150415120728/http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0258/report.pdf . April 15, 2015 . live. United States Geological Survey. 1905. Washington DC. 26.
  3. Book: History of Anson County, North Carolina, 1750-1976. Medley, Mary Louise. 1976. Anson County Historical Association. Heritage Printer, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina. 9780806347554. March 3, 2019.
  4. Web site: August 23, 2022 . 2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina . September 9, 2023 . United States Census Bureau.
  5. Web site: Arrowhead Lake NC Fishing Reports, Map & Hot Spots . July 27, 2022 . www.fishidy.com.
  6. Web site: Gaddy Covered Bridge Natural Atlas . July 27, 2022 . naturalatlas.com . en.
  7. Web site: NCWRC Game Lands . March 30, 2023 . www.ncpaws.org.
  8. News: Barron. Hannah. Commissioners to challenge 2020 Census population data. The Anson Record . October 11, 2021. November 3, 2023.
  9. Web site: Census data shows fastest growing, shrinking counties in NC. Retana. Judith. May 25, 2023. CBS 17. Nexstar Media Group. November 3, 2023.
  10. Web site: 2010 Census Population of Anson County, NC. January 28, 2021.
  11. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 .
  12. News: Monica. Lauren. At-large district voting spurs Anson commissioner meeting into a frenzy. Richmond County Daily Journal. September 22, 2023. November 3, 2023.
  13. Web site: County Manager. Anson County Government. October 29, 2023.
  14. Web site: Centralina Council of Governments. August 10, 2019. April 10, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131624/https://centralina.org/what-is-ccog/our-region/. dead.
  15. Web site: These key counties are telling the story of America's shifting political landscape. October 28, 2021. NBC News. November 3, 2023.
  16. Web site: Anson County’s flip to red highlights a shift in rural NC counties. Worf. Lisa. Harrison. Steve. December 20, 2022. WFAE 90.7. WFAE. October 29, 2023.
  17. Web site: History of the College. South Piedmont Community College. November 5, 2023.
  18. Web site: South Piedmont Community College manufacturing apprenticeship makes big impact for its students, company. McClellan. Hannah. December 7, 2022. EducationNC . November 5, 2023.
  19. Web site: City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220711040810/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html . July 11, 2022 . May 18, 2023 . United States Census Bureau, Population Division.
  20. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 . Marquis Who's Who . Chicago . 1963.