kids encyclopedia robot

Lincoln County, North Carolina facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Lincoln County
U.S. county
Lincoln County Courthouse
Lincoln County Courthouse
Flag of Lincoln County
Flag
 Official seal of Lincoln County
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Lincoln County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  North Carolina
Founded 1779
Named for Benjamin Lincoln
Seat Lincolnton
Largest community Lincolnton
Area
 • Total 304.87 sq mi (789.6 km2)
 • Land 295.85 sq mi (766.2 km2)
 • Water 9.02 sq mi (23.4 km2)  2.96%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 86,810
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 95,675 Increase
 • Density 284.744/sq mi (109.940/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 10th

Lincoln County is a place in North Carolina, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 86,810 people lived here. This makes it the "Lincoln County" with the most people in the whole U.S. The main town and center of the county is Lincolnton. Lincoln County is also part of the bigger Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History of Lincoln County

Lincoln County was created in 1779. It was made from the eastern part of an older area called Tryon County. European settlers first came to this area in the mid-1700s.

The county was named after Benjamin Lincoln. He was an important general during the American Revolutionary War. During this war, a battle called the Battle of Ramsour's Mill happened near a mill in Lincolnton.

Over the years, parts of Lincoln County were used to create other counties. In 1782, some land from Burke County was added to Lincoln County. Later, in 1841, parts of Lincoln County and Rutherford County became Cleveland County. In 1842, the northern part of Lincoln County became Catawba County. Finally, in 1846, the southern half of what was left of Lincoln County became Gaston County.

Geography of Lincoln County

Lincoln County covers about 304.87 square miles. Most of this area, about 295.85 square miles, is land. The rest, about 9.02 square miles, is water.

Protected Natural Areas

Lincoln County has several special places that are protected for nature and outdoor activities.

  • Mountain Island Educational State Forest (part of it is in Lincoln County)
  • Pee Wee's Mountain Bike Trail
  • Rock Springs Nature Preserve
  • South Fork Rail Trail

Major Rivers and Creeks

Many important water bodies flow through Lincoln County.

Neighboring Counties

Lincoln County shares borders with several other counties:

Main Roads and Transportation

  • US 321

  • US 321 Bus.
  • NC 10
  • NC 16

  • NC 16 Bus.
  • NC 18
  • NC 27

  • NC 27 Truck
  • NC 73
  • NC 150
  • NC 155
  • NC 182
  • NC 274

Lincoln County also has its own airport:

  • Lincoln County Airport

Population Changes Over Time

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1790 9,246 —
1800 12,660 36.9%
1810 16,359 29.2%
1820 18,147 10.9%
1830 22,455 23.7%
1840 25,160 12.0%
1850 7,746 −69.2%
1860 8,195 5.8%
1870 9,573 16.8%
1880 11,061 15.5%
1890 12,586 13.8%
1900 15,498 23.1%
1910 17,132 10.5%
1920 17,862 4.3%
1930 22,872 28.0%
1940 24,187 5.7%
1950 27,459 13.5%
1960 28,814 4.9%
1970 32,682 13.4%
1980 42,372 29.6%
1990 50,319 18.8%
2000 63,780 26.8%
2010 78,265 22.7%
2020 86,810 10.9%
2023 (est.) 95,675 22.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010 2020

People in Lincoln County (2020)

In 2020, the census showed that 86,810 people lived in Lincoln County. There were 34,418 households and 24,445 families. Most people, about 82.55%, were White. About 5.07% were Black or African American, and 7.39% were Hispanic or Latino.

Education in Lincoln County

Lincoln County offers different levels of education for its residents.

Colleges and Higher Education

  • Gaston College - This community college has a campus in Lincolnton. It offers programs for associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas.

Lincoln County Public Schools

High Schools

  • East Lincoln High School
  • Lincoln County School of Technology
  • Lincolnton High School
  • North Lincoln High School
  • West Lincoln High School

Middle Schools

  • Asbury Academy
  • East Lincoln Middle School
  • Lincolnton Middle School
  • North Lincoln Middle School
  • West Lincoln Middle School

Intermediate Schools

  • Pumpkin Center Intermediate School

Elementary Schools

  • Asbury Elementary School
  • Battleground Elementary School
  • Catawba Springs Elementary School
  • G. E. Massey Elementary School
  • Iron Station Elementary School
  • Love Memorial Elementary School
  • Norris S. Childers Elementary School
  • North Brook Elementary School
  • Pumpkin Center Primary School
  • Rock Springs Elementary School
  • S. Ray Lowder Elementary School
  • St. James Elementary School
  • Union Elementary School

Charter Schools

  • Lincoln Charter School

Communities in Lincoln County

Map of Lincoln County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels
Map of Lincoln County with municipal and township labels

Cities

  • Lincolnton (This is the main town and the biggest community.)

Towns

  • Maiden (part of this town is in Lincoln County)

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not part of any city or town.

Townships

Townships are smaller divisions of the county, often used for local government or land records.

  • Catawba Springs
  • Howards Creek
  • Ironton
  • Lincolnton
  • North Brook

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Lincoln (Carolina del Norte) para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Lincoln County, North Carolina Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.