Wayne County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne County
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Wayne County Courthouse in Goldsboro
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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 | Anthony Wayne | |
| Seat | Goldsboro | |
| Largest community | Goldsboro | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 557.72 sq mi (1,444.5 km2) | |
| • Land | 553.92 sq mi (1,434.6 km2) | |
| • Water | 3.80 sq mi (9.8 km2) 0.68% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 117,333 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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118,686 | |
| • Density | 211.74/sq mi (81.75/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 13th | |
Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 117,333. Its county seat is Goldsboro, and it is home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Wayne County comprises the Goldsboro, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Prior to 1730, Native Americans were the only known occupants of the territory now known as Wayne County. Settlers trickled into the territory, occupying land along the Neuse River. There was no general migration here until after 1750; as populations built up in the coastal areas, some settlers moved west for land.
Wayne County was established during the American Revolutionary War on November 2, 1779, from the western part of Dobbs County. It was named for "Mad Anthony" Wayne, a general in the war. The act establishing the county provided that the first court should be held at the home of Josiah Sasser, at which time the justices were to decide on a place for all subsequent courts until a courthouse could be erected. By 1782 the commissioners were named. In 1787 an act was passed establishing Waynesborough on the west side of the Neuse River, on the land of Doctor Andrew Bass. The courthouse was built here.
In 1855, parts of Wayne County, Edgecombe County, Johnston County, and Nash County were combined to form Wilson County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 557.72 square miles (1,444.5 km2), of which 553.92 square miles (1,434.6 km2) is land and 3.80 square miles (9.8 km2) (0.68%) is water.
Wayne County's surface is level to gently rolling uplands with broad bottoms along the rivers and some creeks. Elevations are predominantly 120 to 145 feet above sea level. The largest waterway, the Neuse River, bisects the lower central portion of the county and cuts a deep channel 20 to 40 feet deep as it flows in an eastward direction. Unusual river bluffs occur in the vicinity of Seven Springs. In addition to the Neuse River, the county is drained by the Little River, the Northeast Cape Fear River and numerous creeks.
Wayne County is underlain by unconsolidated beds of sand, clay and gravel. For the most part, these beds were deposited in seawater as the sea advanced and retreated during the geologic development of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. To a much lesser extent, streams deposited layers of sediment which mixed with that deposited on the sea floor.
The climate in Wayne County is characterized by warm summers and moderate winters. The average temperature is about 62 degrees. Annual precipitation is about 50 inches of rainfall per year, with the major portion occurring in the late spring and summer.
State and local protected areas/sites
- Charles B. Aycock Birthplace
- Goldsborough Bridge Battlefield
- Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
Major water bodies
- Bear Creek
- Great Swamp
- Little River
- Juniper Swamp
- Nahunta Swamp
- Neuse River
- Northeast Cape Fear River
- Quaker Neck Lake
- Thoroughfare Swamp
- Water Branch
Adjacent counties
- Wilson County – north
- Greene County – east-northeast
- Lenoir County – east-southeast
- Duplin County – south
- Sampson County – southwest
- Johnston County – west
Major highways
Future I-42
I-795 / Future I-795
US 13
US 70
US 70 Byp.
US 117
US 117 Alt.
NC 50
NC 55
NC 111
NC 222
NC 403
NC 581
NC 581 Conn. (Connecter Route)
Major infrastructure
- Goldsboro Union Station
- Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 6,115 | — | |
| 1800 | 6,772 | 10.7% | |
| 1810 | 8,687 | 28.3% | |
| 1820 | 9,040 | 4.1% | |
| 1830 | 10,331 | 14.3% | |
| 1840 | 10,891 | 5.4% | |
| 1850 | 13,486 | 23.8% | |
| 1860 | 14,905 | 10.5% | |
| 1870 | 18,144 | 21.7% | |
| 1880 | 24,951 | 37.5% | |
| 1890 | 26,100 | 4.6% | |
| 1900 | 31,356 | 20.1% | |
| 1910 | 35,698 | 13.8% | |
| 1920 | 43,640 | 22.2% | |
| 1930 | 53,013 | 21.5% | |
| 1940 | 58,328 | 10.0% | |
| 1950 | 64,267 | 10.2% | |
| 1960 | 82,059 | 27.7% | |
| 1970 | 85,408 | 4.1% | |
| 1980 | 97,054 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 104,666 | 7.8% | |
| 2000 | 113,329 | 8.3% | |
| 2010 | 122,623 | 8.2% | |
| 2020 | 117,333 | −4.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 118,686 | −3.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 60,199 | 51.31% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 35,329 | 30.11% |
| Native American | 335 | 0.29% |
| Asian | 1,542 | 1.31% |
| Pacific Islander | 71 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 4,930 | 4.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14,927 | 12.72% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 117,333 people, 48,482 households, and 30,990 families residing in the county.
Economy
Wayne County's local industries are involved in a range of operations from simple assembly to complex manufacturing processes resulting in products ranging from bread and poultry feed to automobile parts and electric transformers. Substantial technological improvements in recent years involving modernization of plant facilities and the addition of sophisticated manufacturing equipment have resulted in enhanced profitability and productivity for many of the local manufacturing firms.
The combination of a mild climate, a freeze-free growing season of about 225 days and a wide range of soil types contribute to a highly productive agricultural area. Total gross farm sales in Wayne County in 2006 was approximately US$329,082,138. Field crops, including the primary crops of tobacco, corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheat accounted for nearly 12% of the farm income or US$38,583,389.
Income from livestock and poultry production was US$236,287,547 in 2006 and derived primarily from swine operations. Swine production has increased rapidly, making it the single largest source of farm income. In 2006 farm income from swine production was US$75,409,690 or 23% of all farm income. Wayne County ranks 7th in the nation for production of swine.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and 916th Air Refueling Wing. The annual civilian and military payroll is over $282 millionUSD. In fiscal year 2006 the economic impact at the base totaled over $460 millionUSD.
Education
Wayne County is home to three colleges: Wayne Community College, University of Mount Olive (formerly known as Mount Olive College), and the Goldsboro campus of the North Carolina Wesleyan University.
Public schools are administered by the Wayne County Public Schools system. The public schools include nine high schools and college preparation schools, nine middle schools, fourteen elementary schools and one special education school. The county is also home to one charter public school and six private schools.
High schools
- Charles B. Aycock High School
- Eastern Wayne High School
- Goldsboro High School
- Rosewood High School
- Southern Wayne High School
- Spring Creek High School
- Wayne Early/Middle College High School
- Wayne Middle/High Academy
- Wayne School of Engineering
Middle schools
- Brogden Middle School
- Dillard Middle School
- Eastern Wayne Middle School
- Grantham Middle School
- Greenwood Middle School
- Mount Olive Middle School
- Norwayne Middle School
- Rosewood Middle School
- Spring Creek Middle School
Elementary schools
- Brogden Primary School
- Carver Elementary School
- Carver Heights Elementary School
- Eastern Wayne Elementary School
- Fremont Stars Elementary School
- Grantham Elementary School
- Meadow Lane Elementary School
- North Drive Elementary School
- Northeast Elementary School
- Northwest Elementary School
- Rosewood Elementary School
- School Street Early Learning Center
- Spring Creek Elementary School
- Tommy's Road Elementary School
Special education school
- Edgewood Community Developmental School
Private schools
- Faith Christian Academy
- Pathway Christian Academy
- St. Mary Catholic School
- Wayne Christian School
- Wayne Country Day School
- Wayne Preparatory Academy
Media
- The Buzz Around Wayne County
- "Eastbound & Downtown" magazine
- Goldsboro Daily News
- The Goldsboro News-Argus
- Mount Olive Tribune
- NewOldNorth.com
- Wayne Week
- Wayne-Wilson News Leader
- WFMC 105.7 FM/730 AM — Gospel
- WGBR 98.3 FM/1150 AM — Classic Hits
- WSSG 92.7 FM/1300 AM — Hip Hop & R&B
- WZKT 97.7 FM — Katie Country
Hospitals
- Wayne UNC Health Care, a medical facility located in Goldsboro, is the county's second-largest employer.
- Cherry Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Goldsboro; it was founded in 1880 as a facility to treat mentally ill African Americans when all public facilities were segregated. A museum depicting its history is part of the hospital campus.
- O'Berry Neuro-Medical Center is a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services hospital providing rehabilitative services to individuals with Down Syndrome and people with developmental disabilities.
Communities
City
- Goldsboro (county seat and largest community)
Towns
Villages
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
Townships
- Brogden
- Buck Swamp
- Fork
- Fremont
- Goldsboro
- Grantham
- Hood Swamp
- Indian Springs
- Nahunta
- New Hope
- Pikeville
- Saulston
- Stoney Creek
Notable people
- Charles Brantley Aycock, politician
- Bob Boyd, golfer
- Moira Crone, author
- Ava Gardner, actress
- Anne Jeffreys, actress
- Carl Kasell, radio personality
- Martin Lancaster, former President of the North Carolina Community College System
- Manny Lawson, NFL linebacker
- Jerry Narron, MLB player, coach, and manager
- Tony Schiffman, jeweler
- John R. Smith, politician
- Michale Spicer, NFL defensive end
- Greg Warren, NFL long snapper
- James B. Whitfield, lawyer
- Cadmus M. Wilcox, Confederate general
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Wayne (Carolina del Norte) para niños
