New Hanover County, North Carolina

New Hanover County, North Carolina
Seal
Location in the state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded	1729
Seat	Wilmington
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	328 sq mi (850 km²) 199 sq mi (515 km²) 129 sq mi (334 km²), 39.33%
PopulationEst.  - (2009)  - Density	195,085 805/sq mi (311/km²)
Website	www.nhcgov.com

New Hanover County is one of 100 counties located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Though second smallest in area, it is one of the most populous as its county seat, Wilmington, is one of the state's largest cities. As of 2008, the population was 192,538.

The county is included in the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes neighboring Brunswick and Pender counties.

History

The county was formed in 1729 as New Hanover Precinct of Bath County, from Craven Precinct. It was named for the House of Hanover, which was then ruling Great Britain.

In 1734 parts of New Hanover Precinct became Bladen Precinct and Onslow Precinct. With the abolition of Bath County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties.

In 1750 the northern part of New Hanover County became Duplin County. In 1764 another part of New Hanover County was combined with part of Bladen County to form Brunswick County. Finally, in 1875 the separation of northern New Hanover County to form Pender County reduced it to its present dimensions. Some of the closing battles of the American Civil War happened in the county with the Second Battle of Fort Fisher (the last major coastal stronghold of the Confederacy) and the Battle of Wilmington. The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 and its establishment of Jim Crow laws closed out the 19th-Century with civil rights injustices which would last until the African-American Civil Rights Movement through the second half of the 20th century, three generations later. The insurrection was planned by a group of nine conspirators which included Hugh MacRae. He later donated land to New Hanover County for a park which was named for him. In the park still stands a plaque in his honor that does not mention his role in the 1898 insurrection.

Law and government

New Hanover is considered a fairly evenly-divided county in political terms, favoring Democrats and Republicans in near equal measure. In the 2004 presidential elections, the county supported George W. Bush over John Kerry by 56% to 44%. On that same day, it voted by 53% to 45% to re-elect Democratic Governor Mike Easley against local Republican Patrick J. Ballantine.

New Hanover County is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Mike McIntyre (D) and in the North Carolina Senate by Sen. Thom Goolsby (R)Of its three members of the North Carolina House of Representatives, two are Republicans and one is a Democrat.

New Hanover County is a member of the regional Cape Fear Council of Governments.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 328 square miles (849 km²), of which, 199 square miles (515 km²) of it is land and 129 square miles (334 km²) of it (39.33%) is water. Of all 100 counties in North Carolina, only Chowan County is smaller.

Townships

The county is divided into five townships: Cape Fear, Federal Point, Harnett, Masonboro, and Wilmington.

Adjacent counties

• Pender County, North Carolina - north
• Brunswick County, North Carolina - west

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 160,307 people, 68,183 households, and 41,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 806 people per square mile (311/km²). There were 79,616 housing units at an average density of 400 per square mile (155/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.91% White, 16.97% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 2.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.3% were of English, 13.0% United States or American, 10.6% German and 10.2% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 68,183 households out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.50% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.00% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county the population was spread out with 21.00% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,172, and the median income for a family was $50,861. Males had a median income of $35,801 versus $25,305 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,123. About 8.30% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Map of New Hanover County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

• Carolina Beach
• Kure Beach
• Wilmington (county seat)
• Wrightsville Beach
• Fort Fisher

Census-designated places

• Bayshore
• Castle Hayne
• Hightsville
• Kings Grant
• Kirkland
• Masonboro
• Murraysville
• Myrtle Grove
• Ogden
• Sea Breeze
• Seagate
• Silver Lake
• Skippers Corner
• Wrightsville Beach
• Wrightsboro

Community

• Wilmington Beach

Island

• Pleasure Island

Major Highways

Interstates

• 
  I-20 (Future)
• I-40
  • I-140

U.S. Routes

• US 17
• 
  US 17 Bus.
• US 74
• US 76
• US 117
• US 421

State Highways

• NC 132
• NC 133

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in New Hanover County, North Carolina

References

1. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• New Hanover County government official website
• Wilmington North Carolina Relocation Guide
• Wilmington North Carolina Real Estate Search

Coordinates: 34°11′N 77°52′W / 34.18°N 77.86°W / 34.18; -77.86