Cornelius, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornelius, North Carolina
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The Cornelius branch of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
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Location of Cornelius, North Carolina
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| Country | United States | |
| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Mecklenburg | |
| Founded | 1893 | |
| Incorporated | 1905 | |
| Named for | Joe B. Cornelius | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 13.12 sq mi (33.98 km2) | |
| • Land | 12.66 sq mi (32.78 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.46 sq mi (1.20 km2) | |
| Elevation | 742 ft (226 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 31,412 | |
| • Density | 2,481.79/sq mi (958.23/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
28031
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| Area code(s) | 704 | |
| FIPS code | 37-14700 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406314 | |
Cornelius is a suburban town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. It is a major suburb of Charlotte and part of its metropolitan area. The population was 31,412 at the 2020 census.
Contents
History
The Cornelius area has been settled since at least the 1750s.Potts Plantation was established near Cornelius in 1753, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The Town of Cornelius, the second youngest of Mecklenburg County's six incorporated towns, was founded in 1893, but not incorporated until March 4, 1905. The town's origin has been traced by many historians to a dispute over cotton weighing.
Cornelius has experienced explosive growth during the 2000s, swelling from under 2,600 in the 1990 census to over 31,000 in the 2020 census. The greatest percentage growth was 364% between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, but in absolute terms the population has nearly tripled from under 12,000 in 2000 to the low to mid 30,000s today.
Geography
Cornelius is located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County. The town lies approximately 20 miles (30 km) north of Charlotte, at an elevation of 742 feet.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.1 square miles (31 km2), of which 11.8 square miles (31 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (3.20%) is water. Cornelius is one of three towns in Mecklenburg County located north of Charlotte. Along with its sister towns – Davidson and Huntersville – Cornelius serves as a suburb to Charlotte.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 833 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,141 | 37.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,230 | 7.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,195 | −2.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,548 | 29.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,444 | −6.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,296 | −10.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,460 | 12.7% | |
| 1990 | 2,581 | 76.8% | |
| 2000 | 11,969 | 363.7% | |
| 2010 | 24,866 | 107.8% | |
| 2020 | 31,412 | 26.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 25,017 | 79.64% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,957 | 6.23% |
| Native American | 42 | 0.13% |
| Asian | 757 | 2.41% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,327 | 4.22% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,307 | 7.34% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 31,412 people, 12,307 households, and 7,853 families residing in the town.
Schools and libraries
School system
The citizens of Cornelius, NC, attend the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Elementary schools include Cornelius Elementary and JV Washam Elementary. Middle schools include Bailey Middle School. William A. Hough High School is the zoned high school. Hough opened in August 2010 and currently serves over 2,000 students.
Private schools
- Grace Covenant Academy
- New Beginnings Christian Academy
- Phoenix Montessori Academy
Libraries
Cornelius is served by a branch of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The library is located in the heart of Cornelius, on Catawba Avenue just east of exit 28 on I-77. 35°28′59.84″N 80°51′50.68″W / 35.4832889°N 80.8640778°W
Notable people
- Erika Brown, Olympic swimmer
- Vicky Bruce, professional women's soccer player
- Kevin Conway, professional stock car racing driver
- Amber Cope, NASCAR driver
- Jerry K. Crump, soldier in the United States Army; received Medal of Honor during the Korean War
- Blaine Donahue, professional stock car racing driver
- Christian Elder, NASCAR driver
- Mark Fields, NFL cornerback
- Erik Jones, NASCAR driver
- Michael Jordan, Hall of Fame NBA basketball player (resident)
- Steve Letarte, sportscaster and former NASCAR crew chief
- Joey Logano, NASCAR driver (resident)
- Leilani Munter, former professional race car driver and environmental activist
- Ricky Rudd, NASCAR driver
- Daniel Steedman, soccer player
- Jeff Tarte, politician
- Thom Tillis, politician and businessman
- Brian Voss, PBA and United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame bowler
- Scot Walters, NASCAR driver
- Hoyt Wilhelm, MLB pitcher and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Cornelius (Carolina del Norte) para niños
