Tazewell County, Virginia

Infobox U.S. County
county = Tazewell County
state = Virginia




map size = 250
founded = December 20, 1799
seat = Tazewell | area_total_sq_mi =520
area_water_sq_mi =0
area percentage = 0.03%
census yr = 2000
pop = 44598
density_km2 =15
web = www.tazewellcounty.org
|

Tazewell County is a county located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 44,598. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578. The micropolitan area is the 350th largest statistical population area and the thirty-third largest micropolitan in the United States. Its county seat is the town of TazewellGR|6.

History

Tazewell County was created on December 20, 1799. The land for the county was taken from portions of Wythe and Russell Counties. It was named after Henry Tazewell, a United States Senator from Virginia as well as a state legislator and judge. The town of Jeffersonville was renamed Tazewell and became the county seat.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 520 square miles (1,347 km²), of which, 520 square miles (1,346 km²) of it is land and 0 square miles (0 km²) of it (0.03%) is water.

Adjacent counties

West Virginia
*McDowell County, (North and West)
*Mercer County, (Northeast)
Virginia
*Buchanan County, (Northwest)
*Russell County, (West)
*Smyth County, (South)
*Bland County, (East)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 44,598 people, 18,277 households, and 13,232 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile (33/km²). There were 20,390 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.16% White, 2.29% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 0.51% of the population Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,277 households out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 25.20% 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 2.40 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.40% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 27.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,304, and the median income for a family was $33,732. Males had a median income of $28,780 versus $19,648 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,282. About 11.70% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.30% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

Incorporated towns

*Bluefield
*Cedar Bluff
*Pocahontas
*Richlands
*Tazewell

Unincorporated communities

*Abb's Valley
*Baptist Valley
*Bishop
*Boissievain
*Burkes Garden
*Claypool Hill
*Frog Level
*Hidden Valley
*Jewell Ridge
*Liberty
*North Tazewell
*Paintlick
*Pisgah
*Pounding Mill
*Raven
*Springville
*Tannersville
*Tip Top
*Thompson Valley
*Wardell

Education

Colleges

*Bluefield College, Bluefield
*Southwest Virginia Community College, borders Russell County, near Richlands

Public high schools

*Graham High School, Bluefield
*Richlands High School, Richlands
*Tazewell High School, Tazewell

Professional sports teams

*Bluefield Orioles, minor league baseball team based in Bluefield

See also

*Pocahontas coalfield
*Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park

References

Further reading

*Englund, K.J. and R.E. Thomas. (1991). "Coal resources of Tazewell County, Virginia" [U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1913] . Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

External links

* [http://www.tazewellcounty.org/ Official Tazewell County website]
* [http://www.bluefield.edu Bluefield College] , Bluefield, VA
* [http://www.sw.edu Southwest Virginia Community College] , Richlands, VA
* [http://www.craborchardmuseum.com/ Historic Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park]