Pitt County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
. It is included in the
Greenville, North CarolinaGreenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's [Tidewater and Coastal Plain] and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North...
,
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Greenville Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – Pitt and Greene – in eastern North Carolina, anchored by the city of Greenville...
. As one of the fastest growing centers in the state, the county has seen a population boom since 1990. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 133,798. In 2006, the county's population was 145,619. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
GreenvilleGreenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's [Tidewater and Coastal Plain] and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North...
.
The county was formed in 1760 from
Beaufort CountyBeaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 44,958. Its county seat is Washington.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, though the legislative act that created it did not become effective until January 1, 1761.
Pitt County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
. It is included in the
Greenville, North CarolinaGreenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's [Tidewater and Coastal Plain] and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North...
,
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Greenville Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – Pitt and Greene – in eastern North Carolina, anchored by the city of Greenville...
. As one of the fastest growing centers in the state, the county has seen a population boom since 1990. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 133,798. In 2006, the county's population was 145,619. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
GreenvilleGreenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's [Tidewater and Coastal Plain] and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North...
.
History
The county was formed in 1760 from
Beaufort CountyBeaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 44,958. Its county seat is Washington.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, though the legislative act that created it did not become effective until January 1, 1761. It was named for William Pitt the Elder, who was then
Secretary of State for the Southern DepartmentThe Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782.Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two British Secretaries of State were divided not based on the principles of modern ministerial divisions, but...
and
Leader of the House of CommonsThe Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
. William Pitt was an English statesman and orator, born in London, England, UK. He studied at Oxford University and in 1731, Pitt joined the army. Pitt led the young "Patriot" Whigs and in 1756 became secretary of state, where he was a pro-freedom speaker in British Colonial government.
Law and government
Pitt County is a member of the
Mid-East CommissionThe Mid-East Commission is one of the 17 regional North Carolina Councils of Governments established by the North Carolina General Assembly for the purpose of regional planning and administration. Headquartered in Washington, it serves Hertford, Bertie, Martin, Pitt, and Beaufort counties....
regional council of governments.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 655 square miles (1,696 km²), of which, 652 square miles (1,688 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) of it (0.49%) is water.
Townships
The county is divided into seventeen
townshipsA township in the United States is a small geographic area. Townships range in size from 6 to 54 square miles , with 36 square miles being the norm.The term is used in two ways....
: Arthur, Ayden, Belvoir, Bethel, Black Jack, Carolina(Stokes), Chicod, Falkland, Farmville, Fountain, Greenville, Grifton, Grimesland, Pactolus, Simpson, Swift Creek, and Winterville.
Adjacent counties
- Martin County, North Carolina
Martin County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 25,593. Its county seat is Williamston.- History :...
- northeast
- Beaufort County, North Carolina
Beaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 44,958. Its county seat is Washington.-Geography:According to the U.S...
- east
- Craven County, North Carolina
Craven County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The estimated population in 2006 was 94,875. Its county seat is New Bern.Craven County is part of the New Bern, North Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- south-southeast
- Lenoir County, North Carolina
Lenoir County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 59,648, and estimated to be 57,961 in 2005. Its county seat is Kinston.- History :The county was formed in 1791 from the southern part of Dobbs County...
- south-southwest
- Greene County, North Carolina
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 18,974. In 2006, it was estimated that the county's population was 20,157. It is included in the Greenville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- southwest
- Wilson County, North Carolina
Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 73,814. The county seat is Wilson.- History :The county was formed in 1855 from parts of Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County...
- west
- Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Edgecombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 55,606. Its county seat is Tarboro.- History :...
- northwest
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 133,798 people, 52,539 households, and 32,258 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 205 people per square mile (79/km²). There were 58,408 housing units at an average density of 90 per square mile (35/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 62.08%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 33.65%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.27%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.08%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.04%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.80% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.09% from two or more races. 3.15% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 52,539 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.40% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.60% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 17.50% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 90.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,868, and the median income for a family was $43,971. Males had a median income of $31,962 versus $25,290 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $18,243. About 13.50% of families and 20.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.60% of those under age 18 and 20.20% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Ayden
Ayden is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,622 at the 2000 census and the 2007 estimated population was 4,827...
- Bethel
Bethel is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,755 at the 2000 census. In 2006, it was estimated the town's population was 1,690...
- Falkland
Falkland is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 112 at the 2000 census. The town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.-Geography:...
- Farmville
Farmville is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, eight miles to the west of Greenville, North Carolina. The population was 4,302 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimated population is 4,538...
- Fountain
Fountain is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 533 at the 2000 census. The town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.-Geography:...
- Greenville
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's [Tidewater and Coastal Plain] and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North...
- Grifton
Grifton is a town in Lenoir and Pitt Counties, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,073. The 2006 population was estimated to be 2,476...
- Grimesland
Grimesland is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 440 at the 2000 census. The town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.-Geography:...
- Simpson
Simpson is a village in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 464 at the 2000 census. In 2006, it was estimated that the village population was 3,100...
- Stokes
Stokes or Carolina is an unincorporated community in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The community is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.-Education:...
- Winterville
Winterville is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina. The population was 4,791 at the 2000 census. In 2007, the estimated population is 7,698. The town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
Transportation
Pitt County is roughly 20 miles east of
Interstate 95Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In North Carolina, I-95 runs diagonally across the eastern third of the state, from Rowland in the southwest to Roanoke Rapids in the northeast.U.S...
, which is a part of the largest state highway system in the nation.
US AirwaysUS Airways, Inc., an operating unit of US Airways Group, is the fifth largest airline in the United States.A member of the Star Alliance, the airline has a fleet of 353 mainline jet aircraft and 319 regional jet and turbo-prop aircraft connecting 200 destinations in North America, Central America,...
serves the
Pitt-Greenville AirportPitt-Greenville Airport is a public airport located two miles north of East Carolina University, the central business district of Greenville, a city in Pitt County, North Carolina, USA. The airport covers and has three runways. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one...
daily with connecting flights to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The airport and local officials are in discussion with
United AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., trading as United Airlines , is a major airline of the United States. It is a subsidiary of UAL Corporation with corporate offices in Chicago at 77 West Wacker Drive in the Chicago Loop. United's largest hub is O'Hare International Airport, where it has more than 550 daily...
and its regional partner,
Colgan AirColgan Air, Inc. is an American fully certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located at the grounds of the Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia....
, to provide 2 daily flights between PGV and
Washington Dulles International AirportWashington Dulles International Airport is a public airport located 25 miles west of the central business district of Washington, D.C., in Dulles, Virginia . It serves the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The airport is named after John Foster Dulles, United States Secretary of State...
..
Major highways that run through the area include
US 264U.S. Route 264 is a spur of U.S. Route 64, located entirely within the state of North Carolina. It currently runs for from Raleigh, North Carolina to Nags Head, North Carolina at US 158....
, US 264 Bypass,
US 258U.S. Highway 258 is a spur of U.S. Highway 58. It currently runs for 217 miles from Fort Monroe, Virginia to Jacksonville, North Carolina at BUS US 17. It passes through the states of Virginia and North Carolina. It goes through the cities of Hampton, Virginia, Newport News, Virginia, and...
, NC 11,
US 13U.S. Route 13 is a north-south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina. One notable segment of the highway is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia.As of 2004, the highway's...
,
NC 33NC 33 is a moderately lengthy state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Spanning a distance of 107 miles , the east-west route passes through many small towns and communities in Eastern North Carolina's Inner Banks...
, NC 43, and
NC 903NC 903 is a 200-mile North Carolina state highway and a semi-rural traffic artery connecting Greenville with many small-to-medium sized towns in the "Down East" and Coastal Plain regions, making many concurrencies with other highways in somewhat of a "zig zag" fashion down eastern North Carolina...
.
External links