Jones County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jones County
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Jones County Courthouse
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| Motto(s):
"Small Living. Big Opportunity. Ready to Grow."
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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 | 1779 | ||||
| Named for | Willie Jones | ||||
| Seat | Trenton | ||||
| Largest community | Maysville | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 473.72 sq mi (1,226.9 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 471.39 sq mi (1,220.9 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 2.33 sq mi (6.0 km2) 0.49% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,172 | ||||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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9,401 | ||||
| • Density | 19.59/sq mi (7.56/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| Congressional district | 3rd | ||||
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,172, making it the fourth-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Trenton. Jones County is part of the New Bern, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area.
There are only three incorporated towns in Jones County, Pollocksville, Trenton, and Maysville. Two major highways in the county include: US 17 which runs south to Jacksonville, and north to New Bern and US 70 which runs west to Kinston, and east to Morehead City.
Contents
History
The area eventually encompassing Jones County was inhabited by Tuscarora Native Americans before the arrival of German and Swiss settlers in the early 1700s. The county was formed in 1779 from the southwestern part of Craven County. It was named for Willie Jones, a planter, slaveholder, Revolutionary leader, and president of the North Carolina Committee of Safety during the war. He opposed state ratification of the United States Constitution and did not attend the Fayetteville Convention, which voted to ratified it. In 1784, the town of Trenton was made the county seat of government.
The rural Low Country county was originally developed for plantations, which were dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans. The county's has heavily relied on agriculture (mostly tobacco) and lumber from its nearby forest.
In 2004, the county's population slightly rose above 10,000 in a census estimate but has since decreased to 9,172 in the 2020 census.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 473.72 square miles (1,226.9 km2), of which 471.39 square miles (1,220.9 km2) is land and 2.33 square miles (6.0 km2) (0.49%) is water. The county is dominated by farmland and swamps.
National protected areas
- Catfish Lake South Wilderness (part)
- Croatan National Forest (part)
- Pond Pine Wilderness (part)
State and local protected areas
- Croatan Game Land (part)
- Hofmann Forest (part)
Major water bodies
- Beaverdam Creek
- Catfish Lake
- Trent River
Adjacent counties
- Craven County – northeast
- Carteret County – southeast
- Onslow County – south
- Duplin County – west
- Lenoir County – northwest
Major highways
Future I-42
US 17
US 70
US 258
NC 41
NC 58
Major infrastructure
- Marine Corps Outlying Field Oak Grove, small military base near Pollocksville
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 4,796 | — | |
| 1800 | 4,339 | −9.5% | |
| 1810 | 4,968 | 14.5% | |
| 1820 | 5,216 | 5.0% | |
| 1830 | 5,608 | 7.5% | |
| 1840 | 4,945 | −11.8% | |
| 1850 | 5,038 | 1.9% | |
| 1860 | 5,730 | 13.7% | |
| 1870 | 5,002 | −12.7% | |
| 1880 | 7,491 | 49.8% | |
| 1890 | 7,403 | −1.2% | |
| 1900 | 8,226 | 11.1% | |
| 1910 | 8,721 | 6.0% | |
| 1920 | 9,912 | 13.7% | |
| 1930 | 10,428 | 5.2% | |
| 1940 | 10,926 | 4.8% | |
| 1950 | 11,004 | 0.7% | |
| 1960 | 11,005 | 0.0% | |
| 1970 | 9,779 | −11.1% | |
| 1980 | 9,705 | −0.8% | |
| 1990 | 9,414 | −3.0% | |
| 2000 | 10,381 | 10.3% | |
| 2010 | 10,153 | −2.2% | |
| 2020 | 9,172 | −9.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 9,401 | −7.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,787 | 63.09% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,564 | 27.95% |
| Native American | 42 | 0.46% |
| Asian | 32 | 0.35% |
| Other/Mixed | 353 | 3.85% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 394 | 4.3% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 9,172 people, 4,045 households, and 2,644 families residing in the county.
Recreation
Jones County lies 8 miles (13 km) west of the Atlantic Ocean but the only waterfront areas in the county are along the Trent and White Oak rivers. Part of the Great Dover Swamp also lies within the county lines. Many enjoy boating and fishing activities as well as camping at the 17 Family Campground along Highway 17 north in Maysville. The Croatan National Forest offers hiking trails and wildlife viewing and the wide open spaces of fields and forests are a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.
Communities
Towns
- Maysville (largest community; also in Onslow County)
- Pollocksville
- Trenton (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
Townships
The county is divided into seven townships, which are both numbered and named:
- 1 (White Oak)
- 2 (Pollocksville)
- 3 (Trenton)
- 4 (Cypress Creek)
- 5 (Tuckahoe)
- 6 (Chinquapin)
- 7 (Beaver Creek)
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Jones (Carolina del Norte) para niños
