Greene County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greene County
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Greene County Courthouse in Snow Hill
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| Motto(s):
"A place to grow. The way to live."
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Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
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 North Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  North Carolina |
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| Founded | 1799 | ||||
| Named for | Nathanael Greene | ||||
| Seat | Snow Hill | ||||
| Largest community | Snow Hill | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 267.21 sq mi (692.1 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 266.73 sq mi (690.8 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 0.48 sq mi (1.2 km2) 0.18% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,451 | ||||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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20,530 | ||||
| • Density | 76.67/sq mi (29.60/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| Congressional district | 1st | ||||
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,451. Its county seat is Snow Hill.
Contents
History
Greene County, being a part of land grant by King Charles II of England in 1663, was first settled around 1710 by immigrants from Maryland, Virginia, and parts of North Carolina. The original inhabitants of the area, the Tuscarora Indians, fought with these immigrants and on March 20–23, 1713, a fighting force of South Carolinians and Yamasee Indians, under Colonel Murice Moore, defeated the Tuscarora, under the leadership of Chief Hancock. This was the final major battle of the Tuscarora War at Fort Neoheroka near current day Snow Hill.
In 1758, the area now recognized as Greene and Lenoir Counties was separated from Johnston and named Dobbs for the Royal Governor. The county was formed in 1791 from the northern part of Dobbs County. It was originally named Glasgow County, for James Glasgow, North Carolina Secretary of State from 1777 to 1798. In 1799, Glasgow's involvement in military land grant frauds forced him to resign and leave the state. Glasgow County was then renamed Greene County in honor of Nathanael Greene, one of General Washington's right-hand men.
The county seat, Snow Hill, is the largest town and major commercial center in the county. The town draws its name from the historic white sandy banks of nearby Contentnea Creek.
Former Greene County
Present-day Greene County is the second county of that name in North Carolina. The first (also named for Nathanael Greene) is now Greene County, Tennessee. It was established in 1783, in what was then the western part of the state. That area was ceded to the federal government and became part of the Southwest Territory (1790–1796) and the State of Tennessee (after 1796).
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 267.21 square miles (692.1 km2), of which 266.73 square miles (690.8 km2) is land and 0.48 square miles (1.2 km2) (0.2%) is water.
State and local protected areas
- Contentnea Creek Hunting Preserve
- Oak Hill Preserve
Major water bodies
- Contentnea Creek
- Middle Swamp
- Nahunta Swamp
- Reedy Branch
- Sandy Run
- Turnage Millpond
- Wheat Swamp
Adjacent counties
- Pitt County – east-northeast
- Wilson County – northwest
- Lenoir County – south
- Wayne County – west
Major highways
I-587
US 13
US 258
US 264
US 264 Alt.
NC 58
NC 91
NC 121
NC 123
NC 903
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 4,218 | — | |
| 1810 | 4,867 | 15.4% | |
| 1820 | 4,533 | −6.9% | |
| 1830 | 6,413 | 41.5% | |
| 1840 | 6,595 | 2.8% | |
| 1850 | 6,619 | 0.4% | |
| 1860 | 7,925 | 19.7% | |
| 1870 | 8,687 | 9.6% | |
| 1880 | 10,037 | 15.5% | |
| 1890 | 10,039 | 0.0% | |
| 1900 | 12,038 | 19.9% | |
| 1910 | 13,083 | 8.7% | |
| 1920 | 16,212 | 23.9% | |
| 1930 | 18,656 | 15.1% | |
| 1940 | 18,548 | −0.6% | |
| 1950 | 18,024 | −2.8% | |
| 1960 | 16,741 | −7.1% | |
| 1970 | 14,967 | −10.6% | |
| 1980 | 16,117 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 15,384 | −4.5% | |
| 2000 | 18,974 | 23.3% | |
| 2010 | 21,362 | 12.6% | |
| 2020 | 20,451 | −4.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 20,530 | −3.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 9,644 | 47.16% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,206 | 35.24% |
| Native American | 95 | 0.46% |
| Asian | 37 | 0.18% |
| Other/Mixed | 533 | 2.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,936 | 14.36% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 20,451 people, 7,164 households, and 4,750 families residing in the county.
Economy
Greene County is classified by the state of North Carolina as economically distressed. The average income of a resident is approximately $36,700 per year.
Education
Schools is Greene County are administered by the Greene County Public School system. The five schools include Greene Central High School, Greene Early College High School, Greene County Middle School, Snow Hill Primary School and West Greene Elementary School. Higher education is provided through nearby East Carolina University or community colleges located in Goldsboro, Greenville and Kinston. One private school, Mt. Calvary Christian Academy, is also located in the county.
Communities
Towns
- Hookerton
- Snow Hill (county seat and largest community)
- Walstonburg
Townships
- Bull Head
- Carrs
- Hookerton
- Jason
- Olds
- Ormondsville
- Shine
- Snow Hill
- Speights Bridge
Census-designated place
Unincorporated community
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Greene (Carolina del Norte) para niños
