SafekipediaOnslow County, North Carolina
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Onslow County is a place in the United States, in the state of North Carolina. It is a big area with many people living there. In the year 2020, more than 200,000 people called Onslow County home. The most important town in the county is called Jacksonville.
Onslow County was created a long time ago, in the year 1734, and it became a full county in 1739. It is part of a bigger area known as the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is near the ocean, with its southern edge touching the Atlantic Ocean. This makes it a place where land meets the sea, giving it special features and views.
History
European and English settlers first arrived in this area in 1713. Onslow County was created in 1734 and named after Arthur Onslow, who served a long time as the speaker of the House of Commons. In 1752, after a powerful storm, the county's main building was moved to a new place that later became the town of Jacksonville, named after President Andrew Jackson.
During World War II, big changes came to Onslow County. The United States Army built Camp Davis and Camp Lejeune in the early 1940s. This brought many new people to the area and helped grow the town and businesses. Today, Jacksonville is the main city of the county, and many people live around it. The Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, is also home to thousands of service members.
Geography
Onslow County in North Carolina covers a big area of 905.20 square miles (2,344.5 km2), with 762.08 square miles (1,973.8 km2) being land and 143.12 square miles (370.7 km2) covered by water. It shares borders with Jones County, Carteret County, Pender County, and Duplin County.
The New River area is home to wildlife such as bald eagles, dolphins, and cownose rays. The county has several protected areas and natural spots, including Hammocks Beach State Park, North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Onslow Beach. Major water bodies in the region are the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway, New River, Onslow Bay, Queen Creek, Stones Bay, and White Oak River.
Important highways in Onslow County include US 17, US 258, NC 24, NC 50, NC 53, NC 111, NC 172, and NC 210. Key infrastructure includes Albert J. Ellis Airport, Amtrak Thruway in Jacksonville, Marine Corps Air Station New River, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Demographics
2020 census
In the year 2020, there were 204,576 people living in Onslow County. This count came from an official check called the census.
Most people in the county were white, but there were also many people from other groups like Black or African American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino backgrounds. About two-thirds of the people lived in towns and cities, while the rest lived in the countryside.
2000 census
In the year 2000, about 150,355 people lived in Onslow County. At that time, most people lived in families, and many households had children under 18 years old. The county had many young people, with about a quarter of all residents under the age of 18.
The average income for a family was around $36,692, but many families lived below what is considered the poverty line. This means they did not have enough money for basic needs like food and housing.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 5,387 | — | |
| 1800 | 5,623 | 4.4% | |
| 1810 | 6,669 | 18.6% | |
| 1820 | 7,016 | 5.2% | |
| 1830 | 7,814 | 11.4% | |
| 1840 | 7,527 | −3.7% | |
| 1850 | 8,283 | 10.0% | |
| 1860 | 8,856 | 6.9% | |
| 1870 | 7,569 | −14.5% | |
| 1880 | 9,829 | 29.9% | |
| 1890 | 10,303 | 4.8% | |
| 1900 | 11,940 | 15.9% | |
| 1910 | 14,125 | 18.3% | |
| 1920 | 14,703 | 4.1% | |
| 1930 | 15,289 | 4.0% | |
| 1940 | 17,939 | 17.3% | |
| 1950 | 42,047 | 134.4% | |
| 1960 | 82,706 | 96.7% | |
| 1970 | 103,126 | 24.7% | |
| 1980 | 112,784 | 9.4% | |
| 1990 | 149,838 | 32.9% | |
| 2000 | 150,355 | 0.3% | |
| 2010 | 177,772 | 18.2% | |
| 2020 | 204,576 | 15.1% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 217,175 |  | 6.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 | |||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 83,741 | 108,890 | 104,600 | 122,558 | 129,499 | 74.25% | 72.67% | 69.57% | 68.94% | 63.30% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 22,410 | 29,137 | 27,162 | 26,577 | 26,939 | 19.87% | 19.45% | 18.07% | 14.95% | 13.17% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 597 | 867 | 971 | 1,013 | 1,019 | 0.53% | 0.58% | 0.65% | 0.57% | 0.50% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,417 | 2,740 | 2,454 | 3,163 | 4,508 | 1.26% | 1.83% | 1.63% | 1.78% | 2.20% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x | x | 259 | 438 | 777 | x | x | 0.17% | 0.25% | 0.38% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 246 | 169 | 355 | 290 | 1,148 | 0.22% | 0.11% | 0.24% | 0.16% | 0.56% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x | x | 3,658 | 5,837 | 13,045 | x | x | 2.43% | 3.28% | 6.38% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,373 | 8,035 | 10,896 | 17,896 | 27,641 | 3.88% | 5.36% | 7.25% | 10.07% | 13.51% |
| Total | 112,784 | 149,838 | 150,355 | 177,772 | 204,576 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Government and politics
Onslow County has a history of changing voting patterns. For many years, it voted mainly for one political party, but in more recent times, it has shifted to voting strongly for another party. The last time a certain political party’s candidate won here was in 1980.
The county’s local government includes seven commissioners who are elected by the whole county. These commissioners help make important decisions for the county. They work with a county manager and their team to carry out these decisions.
Onslow County is part of the Eastern Carolina Council of Governments, which helps nearby areas work together.
In state government, Onslow County is represented in the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives by several elected officials. The main law enforcement agency is led by an elected sheriff.
Education
Onslow County Schools provides education for most of the county. Some special places like Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River have their own schools run by the Department of Defense Education Activity.
Communities
Cities
- Jacksonville (county seat and largest community)
Towns
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Townships
- Camp Lejeune UT
- Hofmann Forest UT
- Jacksonville
- Richlands
- Stump Sound
- Swansboro
- White Oak
Camp Lejeune and Hofmann Forest are classified as unorganized territories instead of townships.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Onslow County, North Carolina, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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