Oak Ridge, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oak Ridge, North Carolina
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Location in Guilford County and the state of North Carolina
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| Country | United States | |
| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Guilford | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 16.58 sq mi (42.95 km2) | |
| • Land | 16.44 sq mi (42.58 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2) | |
| Elevation | 948 ft (289 m) | |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 6,185 | |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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7,049 | |
| • Density | 428.80/sq mi (165.56/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
27310, 27284
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| Area code(s) | 336 | |
| FIPS code | 37-48480 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0991433 | |
Oak Ridge is a town in northwestern Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,185 at the 2010 census, up from 3,988 in 2000. As of 2018, the population had risen to an estimated 6,977. Oak Ridge is 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the center of Greensboro, North Carolina's third-largest city, and it is a part of the Piedmont Triad urban area.
History
The town is home to Oak Ridge Military Academy, a private, co-educational, college-preparatory military boarding school. Founded in 1852, it is the third-oldest military school in the nation still in operation, and it is the official military school of North Carolina, as designated by the state legislature.
Until the late 1990s, the Oak Ridge area was mostly rural farmland with numerous tobacco farms. However, since its incorporation as a town in 1998, Oak Ridge has seen rapid growth in its population. Many of the area's farms have been sold to developers and turned into upper-class housing developments, and several shopping centers have been built along the NC 68 and Oak Ridge Road (NC 150) intersection, near the military academy.
Each Easter weekend from 1945 to 2013, the community hosted a popular horse show.
The Jesse Benbow House II, Guilford Mill, and Oak Ridge Military Academy Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
Oak Ridge is located in northwestern Guilford County at 36°10′1″N 79°58′57″W / 36.16694°N 79.98250°W (36.166944, -79.982577). It is bordered to the north by Stokesdale, to the east by Summerfield, and to the west by Forsyth County. North Carolina Highway 68 leads south 6 miles (10 km) to Interstate 40 on the west side of Greensboro; downtown Greensboro is 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Oak Ridge. Piedmont Triad International Airport is 5 miles (8 km) south of the center of Oak Ridge.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.2 km2), of which 15.4 square miles (39.8 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.92%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 161 | — | |
| 1980 | 900 | — | |
| 2000 | 3,988 | — | |
| 2010 | 6,185 | 55.1% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 7,049 | 14.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,878 | 78.65% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 349 | 4.67% |
| Native American | 16 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 528 | 7.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 320 | 4.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 383 | 5.12% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,474 people, 2,275 households, and 1,969 families residing in the town.
Notable people
- Chris Daughtry, contestant from American Idol and singer of the rock band Daughtry
- Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR driver; attended local military academy prior to his racing career
- Kevin Harvick, NASCAR driver; left in 2014
- Ashnikko, singer and rapper; born here
See also
In Spanish: Oak Ridge (Carolina del Norte) para niños
