Watauga County, North Carolina

Watauga County is a county located in the state of North Carolina of the United States. The administrative headquarters ( County Seat) is the town of Boone, which was named after Daniel Boone, an American pioneer and frontiersman who explored the so-called Wilderness Trail and the town of Boonesborough in Kentucky founded.

Geography

The County is located in northwestern North Carolina, bounded on the west by Tennessee, is located in the north about 35 miles from Virginia and has an area of 810 square kilometers, of which 1 square kilometers of water surface. It is bordered clockwise to the County Ashe County, Wilkes County, Caldwell County and Avery County.

Watauga County is divided into 15 townships: Bald Mountain, Beaverdam, Blowing Rock, Blue Ridge, Boone, Brushy Fork, Cove Creek, Elk, Laurel Creek, Meat Camp, New River, North Fork, Shawneehaw, Stony Fork and Watauga.

History

Watauga County was formed in 1849 from parts of Ashe County, Caldwell County, Wilkes County and Yancey County. It was named after the running in this area Watauga River.

Demographic data

1900-1990 2000

According to the census of 2000, there were 42 695 people in Watauga County. Of these, 5,392 people lived in collective centers, the other inhabitants lived in 16,540 households and 9,411 families. The population density was 53 per square kilometer. It 23 155 units were recorded. The racial the population was made ​​up of 96.45 percent White, 1.59 percent African American, 0.25 percent Native American, 0.59 percent Asian, 0.04 percent of residents from the Pacific Islander, and 0.45 percent from other races groups; 0.62 percent said the lineage of several ethnicities. 1.46 percent of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 16,540 households out of which 23.2 per cent of children or young people who lived with them. 47.4 percent were married couples living together, 6.8 percent were single mothers and 43.1 percent were non-families. 28.6 percent of all households and 8.0 percent had someone living alone at the age of 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size 2.80 persons.

The population was spread out with 16.3 percent under the age of 18, 27.8 percent from 18 to 24, 23.4 percent 25-44 years, 21.5 percent from 45 to 64 years and 11.0 percent of 65 years or older. The average age (median) was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males to 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household (median) was $ 32 611, and the median income for a family $ 45,508. Males have a median income of $ 29,135, women $ 22,006. The per capita income was $ 17,258. Under the poverty line, 7.2 percent of families and 17.9 percent of the population, including 11.5 percent under 18 years and 10.6 percent at the age of 65 years lived or older.