Onslow County, North Carolina Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Onslow County

U.S. county

The 1904 Onslow County Courthouse

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina

North Carolina's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

North Carolina

Founded

1739

Largest city

Jacksonville

Area

• Total

906 sq mi (2,350 km²)

• Land

763 sq mi (1,980 km²)

• Water

143 sq mi (370 km²) 16%%

Population

• Estimate

(2021)

206,160

• Density

270.2/sq mi (104.3/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

3rd

Onslow County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 204,576. Its county seat is Jacksonville. The county was created in 1734 as Onslow Precinct and gained county status in 1739. Onslow County comprises the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. The southern border is the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

History
Geography
- Adjacent counties
Demographics
- 2020 census
Transportation
- Major highways
- Airport
Communities
Education
See also

History

European and English settlers arrived here in 1713 in what was originally part of the colonial precincts of Carteret and New Hanover. Onslow County was formed in 1734 and was named for Arthur Onslow, the longest serving Speaker of the British House of Commons. After a lethal 1752 hurricane, the county courthouse was relocated from Town Point to Wantland’s Ferry; this settlement was eventually incorporated in 1842 and named Jacksonville after President Andrew Jackson. Through much of the first half of the 20th century, the county was largely rural, with an economy based on agrarian and maritime communities.

During World War II, Onslow County was dramatically changed in the early 1940s with the establishment of the United States Army Camp Davis near Holly Ridge (now defunct), and the creation of Camp Lejeune in 1941. This increased county population and generated related growth in housing and businesses.

Onslow County’s flat, rolling terrain covers 767 square miles (1,990 km²) and is located in the southeastern coastal plain of North Carolina, approximately 120 miles (190 km) east of Raleigh and 50 miles (80 km) north of Wilmington. The city of Jacksonville is the county seat, and the areas surrounding the city constitute the major population centers and growth areas in the county. The county is home to more than 150,000 people and includes the incorporated towns of Holly Ridge, Richlands, Swansboro, North Topsail Beach, part of Surf City, and unincorporated Sneads Ferry. The U.S. Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune comprises approximately 156,000 acres (630 km²); more than 43,000 marines and sailors are stationed there. The two "nations" of PLCC and Ridgeweia are also located within Holly ridge and Sneads Ferry.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km²), of which 763 square miles (1,980 km²) is land and 143 square miles (370 km²) (16%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Jones County - north
Carteret County - east
Pender County - southwest
Duplin County - northwest

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	5,387	—
1800	5,623	4.4%
1810	6,669	18.6%
1820	7,016	5.2%
1830	7,814	11.4%
1840	7,527	−3.7%
1850	8,283	10.0%
1860	8,856	6.9%
1870	7,569	−14.5%
1880	9,829	29.9%
1890	10,303	4.8%
1900	11,940	15.9%
1910	14,125	18.3%
1920	14,703	4.1%
1930	15,289	4.0%
1940	17,939	17.3%
1950	42,047	134.4%
1960	82,706	96.7%
1970	103,126	24.7%
1980	112,784	9.4%
1990	149,838	32.9%
2000	150,355	0.3%
2010	177,772	18.2%
2020	204,576	15.1%
2021 (est.)	206,160	16.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019

2020 census

Onslow County racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	129,499	63.3%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	26,939	13.17%
Native American	1,019	0.5%
Asian	4,508	2.2%
Pacific Islander	777	0.38%
Other/Mixed	14,193	6.94%
Hispanic or Latino	27,641	13.51%