Anson County, North Carolina

History

The area eventually comprising Anson County was originally occupied by Native Americans of the Catawba and Waxhaw tribes.

The county was formed in 1750 from Bladen County. It was named for George Anson, Baron Anson, a British admiral who circumnavigated the world. Anson purchased land in the state. The county seat was designated at New Town in 1783. Four years later it was renamed Wadesboro.

Reductions to its extent began in 1753, when the northern part of it became Rowan County. In 1762 the western part of Anson County became Mecklenburg County. In 1779 the northern part of what remained of Anson County became Montgomery County, and the part east of the Pee Dee River became Richmond County. Finally, in 1842 the western part of Anson County was combined with the southeastern part of Mecklenburg County to become Union County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 537.10 sqmi, of which 531.46 sqmi is land and 5.64 sqmi (1.05%) is water. It is bordered by the North Carolina counties of Stanly, Montgomery, Richmond, and Union, and the South Carolina county of Chesterfield.

National protected area

• Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge (part)

State and local protected areas/sites

• Arrowhead Lake
• Gaddy Covered Bridge
• Pee Dee River Game Land (part)
• Wadesboro Downtown Historic District

Major water bodies

• Blewett Falls Lake
• Brown Creek
• Goulds Fork
• Great Pee Dee River
• Lanes Creek
• Rocky River
• Thoroughfare Creek

Major highways

• (future bypass of Wadesboro)

Major infrastructure

• Anson County Airport

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 22,055 and 5,809 families; the median age was 44.5 years, with 19.1% of residents under the age of 18 and 20.3% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.2 males.

There were 8,554 households in the county, of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.5% were married-couple households, 20.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 9,834 housing units, of which 13.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.8% were owner-occupied and 31.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.0%.

22.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 77.8% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 48.5% White, 44.8% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population.

Anson is a majority minority county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 26,948 people. The racial makeup of the county was 48.58% African American, 47.15% White American, 1.07% Asian, 0.61% Native American, 1.25% multiracial and 1.32% of other race. People of Hispanic and Latino origin account for 3.02% of the population.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 25,275 people, 9,204 households, and 6,663 families residing in the county. The population density was 48 /mi2. There were 10,221 housing units at an average density of 19 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 51.64% Black or African American, 48.53% White, 0.45% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,204 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.80% were married couples living together, 19.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,849, and the median income for a family was $35,870. Males had a median income of $27,297 versus $20,537 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,853. About 15.50% of families and 17.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Anson County is governed by a board of commissioners, which constitutes seven members elected by district. The board of commissioners appoint a county manager who oversees county administration and implements the policies of the board.

Anson County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.

Anson County, like several neighboring rural counties, has historically favored Democratic candidates in most elections. After 2012, Republicans enjoyed more electoral success in the region, though Anson County voted more Democratic than its neighbors. The county has been depopulating, and the African American share of its population has been decreasing.

In 2016, the Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, won the county by a margin of 13 percent, though in 2020 the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, won by only four percent. The county favored a Republican candidate for a federal office in 2022 and Donald Trump flipped the county in 2024, the first Republican presidential candidate to do so since Richard Nixon in 1972.

Economy

Anson's economy was historically rooted in agriculture. It remains weaker than the economies of other counties in the region.

Education

There are 11 schools in the Anson County Schools system that serve the students of the county.

The county is served by South Piedmont Community College, which has a campus near Polkton.

Communities

File:Comté d'Anson.png|right|thumb|450px|Clickable map of Anson County

rect 449 247 552 282 Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge poly 415 181 440 172 452 204 424 213 Ansonville poly 603 423 629 421 628 447 602 451 Lilesville poly 616 696 641 698 639 722 613 720 McFarlan poly 581 610 607 607 607 634 578 636 Morven poly 192 379 218 379 218 406 192 405 Peachland poly 282 344 282 383 315 385 318 420 334 415 337 389 320 375 317 344 Polkton poly 394 408 455 410 500 410 511 431 536 436 535 475 510 492 456 471 455 428 391 419 Wadesboro

desc bottom-left

Towns

• Ansonville
• Lilesville
• McFarlan
• Morven
• Peachland
• Polkton
• Wadesboro (county seat and largest community)

Unincorporated communities

• Burnsville
• Pee Dee

Townships

• Ansonville
• Burnsville
• Gulledge
• Lanesboro
• Lilesville
• Morven
• Wadesboro
• White Store

Ghost town

• Sneedsboro

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Anson County.

† = county seat

Notable people

• Stephone Anthony (born 1992), linebacker with the New Orleans Saints of the NFL
• Hugh Hammond Bennett (1881–1960), soil conservation specialist
• John Culpepper (1761–1841), United States Congressman from North Carolina, and long-tenured Baptist minister
• Blind Boy Fuller (1907–1941), American blues guitarist and vocalist
• James Holland (1754–1823), United States Congressman from North Carolina
• Juanita Moody (1924–2015), cryptographer whose intelligence gathering contributed greatly during the Cuban Missile Crisis
• Leonidas Lafayette Polk (1837–1892), first North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
• Sylvester Ritter (1952–1998), professional wrestler also known as "The Junkyard Dog" or "JYD"
• David Lutz (born 1959), tackle with the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions of the NFL

References

Works cited

References

1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
2. Michael, Jeff. "Anson County: An Introduction". UNC Charlotte Urban Institute.
3. Gannett. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names". United States Geological Survey.
4. Medley, Mary Louise. (1976). "History of Anson County, North Carolina, 1750-1976". Heritage Printer, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina.
5. (August 23, 2022). "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
6. "Arrowhead Lake NC Fishing Reports, Map & Hot Spots".
7. "Gaddy Covered Bridge {{!}} Natural Atlas".
8. "NCWRC Game Lands".
9. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
12. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
13. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
14. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
15. "QuickFacts: Anson County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
16. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Anson County, North Carolina". [[United States Census Bureau]].
17. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Anson County, North Carolina".
18. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Anson County, North Carolina".
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
20. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
21. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
22. Retana, Judith. (May 25, 2023). "Census data shows fastest growing, shrinking counties in NC". Nexstar Media Group.
23. (November 2025). "2010 Census Population of Anson County, NC".
24. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
25. Monica, Lauren. (September 22, 2023). "At-large district voting spurs Anson commissioner meeting into a frenzy". Richmond County Daily Journal.
26. "County Manager". Anson County Government.
27. "Centralina Council of Governments".
28. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
29. (October 28, 2021). "These key counties are telling the story of America's shifting political landscape". NBC News.
30. (December 20, 2022). "Anson County’s flip to red highlights a shift in rural NC counties". WFAE.
31. (November 5, 2024). "Harris Gets Troubling Sign from Trump’s Performance in North Carolina". The New Republic.
32. "History of the College". South Piedmont Community College.
33. McClellan, Hannah. (December 7, 2022). "South Piedmont Community College manufacturing apprenticeship makes big impact for its students, company".
34. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division.
35. (1963). "Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896". Marquis Who's Who.