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Martin County, North Carolina facts for kids

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Martin County
Historic Martin County Courthouse in Williamston.
Historic Martin County Courthouse in Williamston.
Map of North Carolina highlighting Martin 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 1774
Named for Josiah Martin
Seat Williamston
Largest town Williamston
Area
 • Total 462 sq mi (1,200 km2)
 • Land 461 sq mi (1,190 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.06%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2021)
21,754
 • Density 47.2/sq mi (18.2/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 1st

Martin County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,031. Its county seat is Williamston.

History

The county was formed in 1774 from the southeastern part of Halifax County and the western part of Tyrrell County. It was named for Josiah Martin, the last royal governor of North Carolina (1771–75). Whereas Dobbs County and Tryon County, named for Martin's predecessors Arthur Dobbs and William Tryon, were abolished after American independence, Martin County was neither abolished nor renamed, a fact which has been attributed to the popularity of Alexander Martin, twice governor of the state (1782–84, 1789–92).

The Martin County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 462 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 461 square miles (1,190 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.06%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

  • US 13
  • US 17
  • US 64
  • NC 11
  • NC 42
  • NC 125
  • NC 142
  • NC 171
  • NC 903

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 6,010
1800 5,629 −6.3%
1810 5,987 6.4%
1820 6,320 5.6%
1830 8,539 35.1%
1840 7,637 −10.6%
1850 8,307 8.8%
1860 10,195 22.7%
1870 9,647 −5.4%
1880 13,140 36.2%
1890 15,221 15.8%
1900 15,383 1.1%
1910 17,797 15.7%
1920 20,828 17.0%
1930 23,400 12.3%
1940 26,111 11.6%
1950 27,938 7.0%
1960 27,139 −2.9%
1970 24,730 −8.9%
1980 25,948 4.9%
1990 25,078 −3.4%
2000 25,593 2.1%
2010 24,505 −4.3%
2020 22,031 −10.1%
2021 (est.) 21,754 −11.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2013

2020 census

Martin County racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 11,528 52.33%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 8,868 40.25%
Native American 69 0.31%
Asian 98 0.44%
Pacific Islander 1 0.0%
Other/Mixed 572 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 895 4.06%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,031 people, 9,378 households, and 6,195 families residing in the county.

Communities

Map of Martin County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels
Map of Martin County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Towns

Townships

  • Bear Grass
  • Cross Roads
  • Goose Nest
  • Griffins
  • Hamilton
  • Jamesville
  • Poplar Point
  • Robersonville
  • Williams
  • Williamston

Education

The primary and secondary public school functions are performed by Martin County Schools, a district covering the entire county. Martin Community College is located in Williamston.

Notable people

See also

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

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