Oak Ridge, North Carolina Facts for Kids

Oak Ridge is a town located in the northwestern part of Guilford County, North Carolina, in the United States. In 2010, about 6,185 people lived there. By 2018, the population grew to an estimated 6,977 people. Oak Ridge is about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Greensboro, which is North Carolina's third-largest city. It is part of the larger Piedmont Triad urban area.

History of Oak Ridge
Geography of Oak Ridge
- Roads and Travel
- Land and Water
Population and People
- Recent Population Data
Famous People from Oak Ridge
See also

History of Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge is known for its long history, especially with a special school.

Oak Ridge Military Academy

The town is home to the Oak Ridge Military Academy. This is a private school where both boys and girls can attend. It is a military boarding school that helps students get ready for college. The academy was started in 1852. It is one of the oldest military schools in the country that is still open today. The state of North Carolina has even named it the official military school of the state.

Growth and Development

For many years, until the late 1990s, the area around Oak Ridge was mostly rural. This means it had a lot of farms, especially tobacco farms. But after Oak Ridge officially became a town in 1998, it started to grow very quickly. Many farms were sold, and new housing areas were built. These new homes are often larger, upper-class houses. Several shopping centers have also been built along the NC 68 road, especially where it meets Oak Ridge Road (NC 150). This area is close to the military academy.

Local Traditions

From 1945 to 2013, the community held a popular horse show every Easter weekend. This was a fun event for many years.

Historic Places

Some important buildings in Oak Ridge are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Jesse Benbow House II, the Guilford Mill, and the Oak Ridge Military Academy Historic District. These places are protected because they are important to history.

Geography of Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge is located in northwestern Guilford County. It is bordered by other towns: Stokesdale to the north, Summerfield to the east, and Kernersville to the west.

Roads and Travel

North Carolina Highway 150 (also called "Oak Ridge Road") goes east towards Summerfield and west towards Kernersville.
North Carolina Highway 68 is the main road that runs north and south through the town. It goes north to US 158 in Stokesdale and south to Interstate 73 and Interstate 40 near Greensboro.
Downtown Greensboro is about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Oak Ridge.
Piedmont Triad International Airport is only about 5 miles (8 km) south of the center of Oak Ridge, making travel easy.

Land and Water

The town covers a total area of about 16.58 square miles (42.95 km²). Most of this area is land, about 16.44 square miles (42.58 km²). A small part, about 0.14 square miles (0.37 km²), is water.

Population and People

The population of Oak Ridge has grown a lot over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	161	—
1980	900	—
2000	3,988	—
2010	6,185	55.1%
2019 (est.)	7,049	14.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

Recent Population Data

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 7,474 people living in Oak Ridge. These people lived in 2,275 households, and 1,969 of these were families.

Famous People from Oak Ridge

Several well-known people have connections to Oak Ridge:

Chris Daughtry – A singer who was a contestant on American Idol and is the lead singer of the rock band Daughtry.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – A famous NASCAR race car driver. He attended the local military academy before he started his racing career.
Kevin Harvick – Another well-known NASCAR driver who lived in Oak Ridge for a time.
Ashnikko – A singer and rapper who was born in Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge, North Carolina facts for kids

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