Cabarrus County, North Carolina
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| Cabarrus County, North Carolina | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of North Carolina |
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 North Carolina's location in the USA |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1792 |
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| Seat | Concord |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
945 km² (365 mi²) 944 km² (364 mi²) 2 km² (1 mi²), 0.16% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
131,063 139/km² |
| Website: www.co.cabarrus.nc.us | |
- For the Spanish financier, see François Cabarrus.
Cabarrus County is a county located in the south-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 131,063. A population of approximately 147,000 in 2005 represents a vast increase in population over the past 30 years, due largely to the increase in urban sprawl of Charlotte, North Carolina to the southwest. Its county seat is Concord6, and dates from the latter eighteenth century.
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[edit] History
The county was formed in 1792 from Mecklenburg County. It was named after Stephen Cabarrus of Chowan County, speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons.
Gold was first discovered here by Conrad Reed in Concord, a major city of Cabarrus County. Conrad Reed was the son of a Hessian Soldier brought over by British troops to fight in the Revolution. His father deserted and found a farm which later became the gold mine known as Reed's Gold Mine.
[edit] Law and government
Cabarrus County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.
[edit] Education
The Cabarrus County Schools system services all of the county with the exception of parts of Kannapolis, which operates its own school district. The system is generally regarded as one of the better school districts in the state with high student achievement and low instances of violence and other problems.
The county is also home to the much-maligned Barber-Scotia College, the Cabarrus College of Health Sciences (a four year college), and a branch of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. UNC Charlotte, although in Mecklenburg County, is actually located near Harrisburg and is easily accessible to Cabarrus residents via Interstate 85.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 945 km² (365 mi²). 944 km² (364 mi²) of it is land and 2 km² (1 mi²) of it (0.16%) is water.
Cabarrus County is situated in the gently rolling countryside of the Carolina Piedmont There are no significantly high peaks or points, although the eastern half of the county contains the westernmost foothills of the Uwharrie Mountains. Altitude ranges from approximately 500-800 feet above sea level. No large or navigable rivers flow through the county; the nearest navigable waterway is the Yadkin River in nearby Rowan County. Land slope is generally toward the southeast. The longest waterway within the county is Rocky River, which rises in Iredell County and empties into the Pee Dee below Norwood in Stanly County. Weather is temperate with extremely hot summers and mild to chilly winters. Severe weather occurs occasionally, with thunderstorms in the warmer months of the year and ice storms and snowfalls occurring on occasion in winter. From zero to three accumulating snowfalls may be expected in an average winter. Snow generally melts between accumulating snowfalls, and there is no consistent snowpack. An average of four inches of snow and 46 inches of rain falls each year. At summer solstice, the length of day is approximately 14 hours and 33 minutes, with visible light lasting 15 hours and 32 minutes.
[edit] Townships
The county is divided into twelve townships, which are both numbered and named: 1 (Harrisburg), 2 (Poplar Tent), 3 (Odell), 4 (Kannapolis), 5 (New Gilead), 6 (Rimertown), 7 (Gold Hill), 8 (Mount Pleasant), 9 (Georgeville), 10 (Midland), 11 (Central Cabarrus), and 12 (Concord).
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Rowan County, North Carolina - north
- Stanly County, North Carolina - east
- Union County, North Carolina - south
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - west
- Iredell County, North Carolina - northwest
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 131,063 people, 49,519 households, and 36,545 families residing in the county. The population density was 139/km² (360/mi²). There were 52,848 housing units at an average density of 56/km² (145/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.26% White, 12.18% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.30% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 5.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 49,519 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 32.50% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $46,140, and the median income for a family was $53,692. Males had a median income of $36,714 versus $26,010 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,121. About 4.80% of families and 7.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.
Agriculture has played an important part in the economic life of the county for over 200 years. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, textiles became a vital part of the local economy, especially in the northern portion of the county. Today, the local economy has a more varied base.
Communication is via an Interstate highway, Interstate 85, which travels southwest to northeast across the county's northern portion, and several U.S. and state highways. These principle highways include U.S. highways 52, 29, 601, and NC highways 73, 24/27, 200, 49, and 3. A regional airport (airport code JQF) is located seven miles west of Concord. Commercial flights to the area are accessed through the airports at Charlotte, or at Greensboro, North Carolina. Passenger rail service to Kannapolis is available via Amtrak. Both wired and wireless telephone services are nearly universally available in the county. Cable television is available in much of the county. Cabarrus County is within the Greater Charlotte area for broadcast communications.
Most residents of Cabarrus County are Caucasian of Scotch-Irish, German, or English-Welsh extraction. A minority population of African American residents inhabit the county, and in recent years, a remarkable influx of Hispanic residents, mostly Mexican, has arrived in the area, largely in support of the area's agriculture.
Culturally, Cabarrus County residents are historically Christian of low-church protestant traditions, especially Southern Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist, with a significant number of Lutherans. A Roman Catholic parish is organized in Concord, and a small Jewish community exists in the area. Eastern Orthodox congregations are available in nearby Charlotte.
[edit] Attractions
Essential services, including NorthEast Medical Center with a 24-hour emergency department and trauma center, are available in Concord. There are no VA hospitals or military installations in the county.
The county is home to Lowe's Motor Speedway, which hosts three NASCAR events a year (the NASCAR All-Star Challenge, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Bank of America 500). The county is also home to several race shops, including Hendrick Motorsports (home to drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson) and Roush Fenway Racing (home to Matt Kenseth). Darrell Waltrip also has a racing shop in Concord.
The state's largest tourist attraction, Concord Mills Mall, is located in Cabarrus County.
The county is home to Reed Gold Mine, site of the first gold discovery in the United States in 1799.
[edit] Cities and towns
Also notable is the recent push for incorporation in the Odell School community, which is located in the northwestern corner of the county. The current residents hope to incorporate as a means to avoid annexation by the city of Kannapolis.
