Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, USA. It's named after the Marquess of Rockingham. In 2020, about 9,243 people lived there. Rockingham is also the main city, or county seat, of Richmond County.

The downtown area of Rockingham is currently being updated. This project is part of a ten-year plan called "Shaping Our Future: 2023." The city is seeing new businesses open, which is helping its economy grow.

History of Rockingham
Geography of Rockingham
- City Areas
- Neighborhoods in Rockingham
Population and People
- 2020 Census Information
- 2010 Census Information
Arts and Culture
- Museums
- Events
Education
Media
Transportation
- Air Travel
- Major Roads and Highways
Notable People from Rockingham
See also

History of Rockingham

The city of Rockingham was named after Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham. He was the British Prime Minister twice, from 1765 to 1766 and again in 1782. During his time as Prime Minister, a big issue was the Thirteen Colonies in America.

Rockingham wanted to get rid of the Stamp Act 1765, which was a tax on paper goods in the colonies. He won a vote to repeal it in 1766. Because of this, he was very popular with the British colonists in America. Even after the United States became independent, people in North Carolina still liked him.

In the early 1800s, many families from Rockingham moved to Middle Tennessee. They settled in a place now called Nolensville and quickly built their new community.

In 1950, Rockingham had a professional minor league baseball team called the Rockingham Eagles. They played in the Class D Tobacco State League. The team won the playoff title in their only season before the whole league closed down.

Rockingham has several old buildings that are important to history. They have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since the late 1970s. These include the Bank of Pee Dee Building, Covington Plantation House, and the Richmond County Courthouse.

Geography of Rockingham

Rockingham is located in the south-central part of North Carolina, in an area called the Piedmont. It is about 61 miles west of Lumberton and 70 miles east of Charlotte.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 7.65 square miles (19.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, 7.64 square miles (19.8 square kilometers), is land. Only a very small part, 0.01 square miles (0.03 square kilometers), is water.

Some areas just outside Rockingham, but still in Richmond County, include Cordova, East Rockingham, and Dobbins Heights.

City Areas

The Midtown business district in Rockingham has many stores and shops. There are also several apartment buildings nearby. While not as big as some other cities in North Carolina, this area is considered the main urban part of Rockingham and Richmond County.

Neighborhoods in Rockingham

The Rockingham area is split into different neighborhoods and suburbs. These areas can have different types of homes and communities. Some of these neighborhoods are Cordova, Philadelphia, Ledbetter, Roberdell, and East Rockingham. Other areas include West Rockingham, Glenwood, Maplewood, East Side Park, and Knob Hill.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	454	—
1900	1,507	—
1910	2,155	43.0%
1920	2,509	16.4%
1930	2,906	15.8%
1940	3,657	25.8%
1950	3,356	−8.2%
1960	5,512	64.2%
1970	5,852	6.2%
1980	8,300	41.8%
1990	9,399	13.2%
2000	9,672	2.9%
2010	9,558	−1.2%
2020	9,243	−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2018, the area around Hamlet and Rockingham had about 22,579 people. This area will eventually be served by major highways I-73 and I-74. Many hotels are in the area because people traveling to the beach often pass through Rockingham.

2020 Census Information

Rockingham racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	4,668	50.5%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	3,274	35.42%
Native American	181	1.96%
Asian	131	1.42%
Pacific Islander	2	0.02%
Other/Mixed	453	4.9%
Hispanic or Latino	534	5.78%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,243 people living in Rockingham. There were 3,602 households and 2,211 families in the city.

2010 Census Information

In 2010, the city had 9,553 people, 3,966 households, and 2,573 families. The population density was about 1,326.8 people per square mile. There were 4,375 housing units.

The people living in the city were made up of different groups:

65.57% White
29.90% African American
1.10% Native American
1.34% Asian
0.06% Pacific Islander
0.81% from other races
1.22% from two or more races
2.10% were Hispanic or Latino

Out of the 3,966 households, 30.7% had children under 18 living with them. About 41.8% were married couples. Also, 19.4% had a female head of household with no husband present. About 35.1% were not families.

The average household size was 2.33 people. The average family size was 2.92 people.

The age breakdown of the population was:

25.8% under 18 years old
7.9% from 18 to 24 years old
27.2% from 25 to 44 years old
21.6% from 45 to 64 years old
17.5% were 65 years or older

The average age in the city was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were about 82.7 males.

The average income for a household in the city was $26,574. For a family, the average income was $33,534. About 18.0% of families and 20.4% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 32.4% of those under 18 and 15.0% of those 65 or older.

Arts and Culture

Museums

Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham is a museum designed for children.

Events

Rockingham hosts "The Smokeout," which is an annual motorcycle event. The city has also hosted the Carolina Rebellion rock festival in the past.

Rockingham is home to Rockingham Speedway, which used to be called the North Carolina Speedway. This track was a regular stop for NASCAR races for almost 40 years. The races there stopped in 2004.

Education

Rockingham used to have its own school system. However, in 1968, it became part of the Richmond County School System.

The Leon Levine School of Business and Information Technology is being built in downtown Rockingham. It is part of Richmond Community College and will offer advanced education. The school will be three stories tall and was planned to open for the fall 2020 semester.

This new school will offer programs like Accounting Specialist, IT Support, Healthcare Manager, and Cyber Security. It will also have space for the college's Workforce and Economic Development division and a Small Business Center.

Richmond Senior High School serves as the high school for students living in Richmond County. Rockingham also has the main campus of Richmond Community College.

Media

WAYN, 900 AM, plays adult contemporary and easy listening music, and sports.
WLWL, 770 AM, plays oldies music, especially beach music.

Transportation

Air Travel

Richmond County Airport (ICAO: KRCZ, FAA LID: RCZ) is about 3 miles southeast of Rockingham. It used to be called Rockingham-Hamlet Airport. This airport is used for local and visiting general aviation flights.

Major Roads and Highways

Interstate 73 — This highway runs two miles north of Rockingham. It will go west of the Rockingham area when a bypass is finished.
Interstate 74 — This highway also runs two miles north of Rockingham. A 13-mile freeway south of Rockingham is already called Future I-74. It will be officially signed as I-74 when the 7.2-mile Rockingham Bypass is completed. There are plans to extend it to Myrtle Beach in the future.
U.S. Route 220 — This road runs north-south and goes through downtown Rockingham. It is a four-lane divided highway that ends just south of Rockingham where it joins US 1.
U.S. Route 1 — This road also runs north-south and goes through the heart of downtown Rockingham. It becomes a four-lane expressway when it leaves Rockingham.
U.S. Route 74 — This road runs east-west and goes through Rockingham as US 74 Business. Many businesses are located along this stretch. The main US 74 is a four-lane freeway that bypasses Rockingham. It will eventually become I-74.

Notable People from Rockingham

Bucky Covington: A country singer who was a finalist on the TV show American Idol.
Charles B. Deane: A former member of the United States House of Representatives.
Alfred Dockery: A congressman and a brigadier general in the Tennessee State Militia.
Dannell Ellerbe: An NFL linebacker who won two Super Bowls.
Blind Boy Fuller: An early blues musician known for his finger-picking guitar style.
Viola Gentry: An aviator famous for setting the first non-refueling endurance record for women.
Wayne Goodwin: The current commissioner of the NC Division of Motor Vehicles.
Melvin Ingram: An NFL linebacker who has been chosen for the Pro Bowl three times.
Leon Levine: The person who started the Family Dollar stores.
Brian Moehler: A former MLB pitcher.
Alvin Morman: A former MLB pitcher.
Cameron A. Morrison: The 55th Governor of North Carolina. He also served as a U.S. Senator, a U.S. Representative, and was once the Mayor of Rockingham.
The-Dream: A singer, producer, and songwriter.

Rockingham, North Carolina facts for kids

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