Beaufort County, North Carolina

Not to be confused with Beaufort, North Carolina or Beaufort County, South Carolina.

Beaufort County (/ˈboʊfərt/ BOH-fərt) is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,652.^[1] Its county seat is Washington.^[2] The county was founded in 1705 as Pamptecough Precinct. Originally included in Bath County, it was renamed Beaufort Precinct in 1712 and became Beaufort County in 1739.^[3][4]

Beaufort County
County
Beaufort County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35.48°N 76.84°W / 35.48; -76.84
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1712
Named after	Henry, Duke of Beaufort
Seat	Washington
Largest community	Washington
Area
• Total	962.85 sq mi (2,493.8 km2)
• Land	832.74 sq mi (2,156.8 km2)
• Water	130.11 sq mi (337.0 km2)  13.51%
Population  (2020)
• Total	44,652
• Estimate  (2024)	44,576
• Density	53.62/sq mi (20.70/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.beaufort.nc.us

Beaufort County comprises the Washington, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Greenville-Washington, NC Combined Statistical Area.

History

Beaufort County was first called Pamptecough. The name was changed about 1712 to Beaufort, named for Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort (1684–1714), who became one of Carolina's Lords Proprietor around 1709.

Beaufort County was the site of a proposed Navy outlying landing field. This practice airfield would have allow pilots to simulate landings on an aircraft carrier. Construction was controversial due to its potential ecological impact.^[5]

Geography

Interactive map of Beaufort County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 962.85 square miles (2,493.8 km²), of which 832.74 square miles (2,156.8 km²) is land and 130.11 square miles (337.0 km²) (13.51%) is water.^[6] It is the fifth-largest county in North Carolina by total area. The county split in half by the Pamlico River.

State and local protected areas/sites

• Goose Creek Game Land (part)^[7]
• Goose Creek State Park
• Historic Bath
• Van Swamp Game Lands (part)^[7]
• Voice of America Game Land (part)^[7]

Major water bodies

• Goose Creek
• Intracoastal Waterway
• Pamlico River
• Pungo River
• Blounts Creek
• Tar River

Adjacent counties

• Martin County – north
• Washington County – northeast
• Hyde County – east
• Pamlico County – south
• Craven County – southwest
• Pitt County – west

Major highways

• US 17
• 
  US 17 Bus.
• US 264
• 
  US 264 Bus.
• NC 32
• NC 33
• NC 45
• NC 92
• NC 99
• NC 102
• NC 171
• NC 306

Major infrastructure

• Bayview–Aurora Ferry
• Washington-Warren Field Airport

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	5,405		—
1800	6,242		15.5%
1810	7,203		15.4%
1820	9,850		36.7%
1830	10,969		11.4%
1840	12,225		11.5%
1850	13,816		13.0%
1860	14,766		6.9%
1870	13,011		−11.9%
1880	17,474		34.3%
1890	21,072		20.6%
1900	26,404		25.3%
1910	30,877		16.9%
1920	31,024		0.5%
1930	35,026		12.9%
1940	36,431		4.0%
1950	37,134		1.9%
1960	36,014		−3.0%
1970	35,980		−0.1%
1980	40,355		12.2%
1990	42,283		4.8%
2000	44,958		6.3%
2010	47,759		6.2%
2020	44,652		−6.5%
2024 (est.)	44,576	[8]	−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11] 1990–2000[12] 2010[13] 2020[1]

2020 census

Beaufort County racial composition^[14]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	29,431	65.91%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	10,195	22.83%
Native American	90	0.2%
Asian	164	0.37%
Pacific Islander	16	0.04%
Other/Mixed	1,323	2.96%
Hispanic or Latino	3,433	7.69%

As of the 2020 census, there were 44,652 people, 19,701 households, and 12,638 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census,^[15] there were 44,958 people, 18,319 households, and 12,951 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile (21 people/km²). There were 22,139 housing units at an average density of 27 units per square mile (10 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.44% White, 29.03% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 3.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,319 households, out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,066, and the median income for a family was $37,893. Males had a median income of $30,483 versus $21,339 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,722. About 15.20% of families and 19.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.60% of those under age 18 and 19.30% of those age 65 or over.

Ancestry

As of 2010, the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Beaufort County were:^[16]

Ancestry	Percent (2010)
English	14.4%
American	11.9%
German	6.6%
Irish	6.0%
Scottish	2.5%
French	1.6%
Italian	1.5%

Government and politics

Washington Municipal Building

Beaufort is a typical “Solid South” county in its voting patterns. It voted Democratic consistently up through 1964, even resisting the lure of voting against Al Smith’s Catholic faith and opposition to Prohibition in 1928 when North Carolina went Republican for the only time between 1876 and 1964. However, the increasing social and racial liberalism of the Democratic Party turned its electorate to George Wallace in 1968 and overwhelmingly to Richard Nixon against George McGovern four years later. Since then, Beaufort has been a strongly Republican county, with the last Democrat to carry it being Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Beaufort County is a member of the Mid-East Commission regional council of governments.

United States presidential election results for Beaufort County, North Carolina^[17]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	17,296	65.09%	9,049	34.05%	227	0.85%
2020	16,437	62.46%	9,633	36.61%	245	0.93%
2016	14,543	60.75%	8,764	36.61%	631	2.64%
2012	13,977	59.17%	9,435	39.94%	208	0.88%
2008	13,460	58.50%	9,454	41.09%	96	0.42%
2004	12,432	63.68%	7,025	35.99%	65	0.33%
2000	10,531	60.83%	6,634	38.32%	148	0.85%
1996	8,154	53.59%	6,172	40.57%	889	5.84%
1992	7,337	45.91%	6,445	40.33%	2,198	13.75%
1988	8,190	60.35%	5,352	39.44%	28	0.21%
1984	9,284	60.66%	5,987	39.12%	33	0.22%
1980	6,773	51.95%	6,024	46.21%	240	1.84%
1976	4,677	44.68%	5,728	54.72%	62	0.59%
1972	6,915	69.65%	2,901	29.22%	112	1.13%
1968	2,669	23.03%	3,232	27.89%	5,686	49.07%
1964	3,595	37.12%	6,090	62.88%	0	0.00%
1960	2,694	30.85%	6,039	69.15%	0	0.00%
1956	2,277	28.44%	5,730	71.56%	0	0.00%
1952	2,404	30.69%	5,429	69.31%	0	0.00%
1948	1,055	17.50%	4,675	77.53%	300	4.98%
1944	1,133	19.40%	4,706	80.60%	0	0.00%
1940	936	14.48%	5,528	85.52%	0	0.00%
1936	964	13.58%	6,133	86.42%	0	0.00%
1932	839	13.05%	5,552	86.33%	40	0.62%
1928	2,521	41.64%	3,533	58.36%	0	0.00%
1924	1,502	32.35%	3,048	65.65%	93	2.00%
1920	2,266	39.15%	3,522	60.85%	0	0.00%
1916	1,274	39.42%	1,957	60.55%	1	0.03%
1912	295	11.76%	1,605	63.97%	609	24.27%

Education

Beaufort County Schools is the local public school system.

Communities

Map of Beaufort County with municipal and township labels

City

• Washington (county seat and largest community)

Towns

• Aurora
• Bath
• Belhaven
• Chocowinity
• Pantego
• Washington Park

Census-designated places

• Bayview
• Cypress Landing
• Pinetown
• River Road

Townships

• Bath
• Chocowinity
• Long Acre
• Pantego
• Richland
• Washington

Other unincorporated communities

• Blounts Creek
• Edward
• Royal

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Beaufort County.^[18]

† = county seat

Rank	Name	Type	Population (2020 census)
1	† Washington	City	9,875
2	River Road	CDP	4,048
3	Belhaven	Town	1,410
4	Chocowinity	Town	722
5	Aurora	Town	455
6	Washington Park	Town	392
7	Bayview	CDP	298
8	Bath	Town	245
9	Pantego	Town	164
10	Pinetown	CDP	147

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaufort County, North Carolina