Lincoln County, North Carolina

Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 86,810,[1] making it the most populous "Lincoln County" in the United States. Its county seat is Lincolnton.[2]

Lincoln County
County
Lincoln County Courthouse
Lincoln County Courthouse
Flag of Lincoln County
Flag
Official seal of Lincoln County
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Lincoln County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°29′N 81°13′W
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1779
Named forBenjamin Lincoln
SeatLincolnton
Largest communityLincolnton
Area
 • Total304.87 sq mi (789.6 km2)
 • Land295.85 sq mi (766.2 km2)
 • Water9.02 sq mi (23.4 km2)  2.96%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total86,810
 • Estimate 
(2022)
93,095
 • Density293.43/sq mi (113.29/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district10th
Websitewww.lincolncounty.org

Lincoln County is included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1779 from the eastern part of Tryon County, which had been settled by Europeans in the mid-18th Century. It was named for Benjamin Lincoln, a general in the American Revolutionary War."[3] During the American Revolution, the Battle of Ramsour's Mill occurred near a grist mill in Lincolnton.

In 1782 the southeastern part of Burke County was annexed to Lincoln County. In 1841, parts of Lincoln County and Rutherford County were combined to form Cleveland County. In 1842, the northern third of Lincoln County became Catawba County. In 1846, the southern half of what was left of Lincoln County became Gaston County.[3][4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 304.87 square miles (789.6 km2), of which 295.85 square miles (766.2 km2) is land and 9.02 square miles (23.4 km2) (2.96%) is water.[5]

State and local protected areas

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Major infrastructure
  • Lincoln County Airport[8]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17909,246—
180012,66036.9%
181016,35929.2%
182018,14710.9%
183022,45523.7%
184025,16012.0%
18507,746−69.2%
18608,1955.8%
18709,57316.8%
188011,06115.5%
189012,58613.8%
190015,49823.1%
191017,13210.5%
192017,8624.3%
193022,87228.0%
194024,1875.7%
195027,45913.5%
196028,8144.9%
197032,68213.4%
198042,37229.6%
199050,31918.8%
200063,78026.8%
201078,26522.7%
202086,81010.9%
2022 (est.)93,095[1]7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010[13] 2020[1]

2020 census
Lincoln County racial composition[14]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 71,661 82.55%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 4,405 5.07%
Native American 237 0.27%
Asian 692 0.8%
Pacific Islander 15 0.02%
Other/Mixed 3,388 3.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6,412 7.39%

As of the 2020 census, there were 86,810 people, 34,418 households, and 24,445 families residing in the county.[1]

2010 census

At the 2010 census,[15] there were 78,265 people, 30,343 households, and 22,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 261.76 people per square mile (101.07 people/km2). There were 33,641 housing units at an average density of 112.51 units per square mile (43.44 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.4% White, 5.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 6.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 30,343 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,456, and the median income for a family was $48,298. Males had a median income of $41,441 versus $30,480 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,861. About 10.4% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, as well as 25.3% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics
United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, North Carolina[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 36,341 72.37% 13,274 26.43% 602 1.20%
2016 28,806 71.97% 9,897 24.73% 1,320 3.30%
2012 25,267 68.71% 11,024 29.98% 484 1.32%
2008 23,631 66.01% 11,713 32.72% 454 1.27%
2004 20,052 67.79% 9,434 31.89% 93 0.31%
2000 15,951 65.03% 8,412 34.29% 166 0.68%
1996 11,439 54.86% 7,721 37.03% 1,690 8.11%
1992 11,018 49.29% 8,150 36.46% 3,187 14.26%
1988 11,651 64.26% 6,444 35.54% 35 0.19%
1984 12,621 67.64% 5,996 32.13% 42 0.23%
1980 9,009 52.39% 7,796 45.34% 391 2.27%
1976 6,682 41.22% 9,462 58.37% 66 0.41%
1972 8,597 61.88% 5,100 36.71% 195 1.40%
1968 6,188 46.20% 4,044 30.19% 3,161 23.60%
1964 5,869 44.55% 7,304 55.45% 0 0.00%
1960 6,816 50.32% 6,728 49.68% 0 0.00%
1956 6,637 53.20% 5,838 46.80% 0 0.00%
1952 6,228 53.61% 5,389 46.39% 0 0.00%
1948 3,635 43.49% 3,570 42.71% 1,153 13.80%
1944 3,678 46.88% 4,168 53.12% 0 0.00%
1940 3,099 38.74% 4,901 61.26% 0 0.00%
1936 3,501 38.83% 5,515 61.17% 0 0.00%
1932 3,563 44.56% 4,399 55.02% 34 0.43%
1928 3,930 57.43% 2,913 42.57% 0 0.00%
1924 2,658 47.39% 2,909 51.86% 42 0.75%
1920 3,137 48.50% 3,331 51.50% 0 0.00%
1916 1,369 47.22% 1,521 52.47% 9 0.31%
1912 49 2.03% 1,280 53.11% 1,081 44.85%

Lincoln County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.[17]

Controversy

In February 2020, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department received media attention when surveillance video was released showing first a pair of Atrium Health security guards assaulting a sixteen-year-old boy brought to the hospital's emergency room. When another pair of sheriff's deputies arrived, video shows one of the deputies hitting the boy, now handcuffed, in the face twice as the boy spit blood pooling in his mouth after being tackled from behind by security guards. The deputy then aggressively approached the mother, yelling at her before being pulled to the ground by a second deputy, In an interview with WBTV, Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam defended his deputies saying they did nothing wrong, denying that the officer struck the boy or that the officer was physically restrained by two additional sheriff's deputies.[18] The boy was arrested and charged with felony assault on a police officer.[19]

Education

Post-secondary education

High schools

Middle school
  • Asbury Academy
  • East Lincoln
  • Lincolnton
  • North Lincoln
  • West Lincoln

Intermediate schools
  • Pumpkin Center Intermediate School

Elementary schools
  • Asbury
  • Battleground
  • Catawba Springs
  • G. E. Massey
  • Iron Station
  • Love Memorial
  • Norris S. Childers
  • North Brook
  • Pumpkin Center Primary
  • Rock Springs
  • S. Ray Lowder
  • St. James
  • Union

Charter schools

  • Lincoln Charter School

Communities
Map of Lincoln County with municipal and township labels

City

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships
  • Catawba Springs
  • Howards Creek
  • Ironton
  • Lincolnton
  • North Brook

See also

References
  1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Lincoln County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website - History Corner". www.co.lincoln.nc.us. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  4. "Lincoln County | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  5. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  6. "Parks and Recreation | County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website". www.lincolncounty.org. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  7. "Lincoln County North Carolina Streams". northcarolina.hometownlocator.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  8. "Airport (IPJ) | County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website". www.lincolncounty.org. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  13. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  14. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  17. "Centralina Council of Governments". Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  18. "FULL INTERVIEW: Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam on teen assaulted outside ER". WBTV. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  19. Ochsner, Nick. "Video shows teen assaulted by Atrium security, Lincoln Co. sheriff's deputy outside ER". WBTV. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  20. College, Gaston. "Associate Degree Programs | Community College". Gaston College. Retrieved May 27, 2022.

Further reading
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35°29′19″N 81°13′37″W

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