Cabarrus County, North Carolina
U.S. County|
county = Cabarrus County|
state = North Carolina |
seal = Cabarrus County nc seal.jpg |
map size = 250|
founded =
1792| seat =
Concord | area = 945
km² (365
mi²) |
area land = 944 km² (364 mi²) |
area water = 2 km² (1 mi²) |
area percentage = 0.16% |
census yr = 2000|
pop = 131,063 |
density = 139|
web = 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.
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.
Cabarrus County is a member of the regional
Centralina Council of Governments.
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.
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.
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).
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
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 Concord 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.
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,
Jimmie Johnson, and
Brian Vickers) and
Chip Ganassi (home to
Jamie McMurray,
Sterling Marlin, and
Casey Mears).
Darrell Waltrip also has a racing shop in Concord. Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) has failed to annex the region which houses the Lowe's Motor Speedway.
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.
*
Concord*
Harrisburg*
Kannapolis*
Mount Pleasant*
MidlandAlso 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.
*
Cabarrus County government official website
