Pender County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,203. Its county seat is Burgaw. Pender County is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1875 from New Hanover County. It was named for William Dorsey Pender of Edgecombe County, a Confederate general mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. Pender County is located in the southeastern portion of the state and shares borders with Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Onslow, and Sampson counties. The county's eastern border is the Atlantic Ocean. The present land area is 870.76 sqmi and the 2020 population was 60,203, doubling since 1990. The estimated county population in 2023 had increased to 68,521. The county commissioners were ordered to hold their first meeting at Rocky Point. The act provided for the establishment of the town of Cowan as the county seat. In 1877, an act was passed repealing that section of the law relative to the town, and another law was enacted, whereby the qualified voters were to vote on the question of moving the county seat to South Washington or any other place which the majority of the voters designated. Whatever place was selected, the town should be called Stanford. In 1879, Stanford was changed to Burgaw, which was by that law incorporated. It is the county seat. A slave cemetery that was used by the community of Cardinal Acres up until c. 1950 was disturbed by a developer grading a site in 2021.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 934.17 sqmi, of which 871.30 sqmi is land and 62.87 sqmi (6.73%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in North Carolina by land area.

National protected area

State and local protected areas

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 60,203 people, 21,740 households, and 14,676 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 41,082 people, 16,054 households, and 11,719 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 /mi2. There were 20,798 housing units at an average density of 24 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 72.74% White, 23.58% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.03% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 3.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 16,054 households, out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.90. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.20% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,902, and the median income for a family was $41,633. Males had a median income of $31,424 versus $21,623 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,882. About 9.50% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Pender County is a member of the regional Cape Fear Council of Governments. The government is run by a board of commissioners with a county manager. Pender County is a strong Republican county, voting with the party since 1996. In the 1992 presidential election, Democratic nominee Bill Clinton won the county. In the 2016 presidential election, Republican nominee Donald Trump won the county with 63 percent of the vote, over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's 33 percent. Trump continued to increase his margin of victory in Pender in the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections.

Education

The county is served by Pender County Schools.

Communities

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Townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable people