# Pender County, North Carolina

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 square miles (2,255.3 km$^2$) 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 square miles (2,419.5 km$^2$), of which 871.30 square miles (2,256.7 km$^2$) is land and 62.87 square miles (162.8 km$^2$) (6.73%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in North Carolina by land area.

### National protected area

* Moores Creek National Battlefield

### State and local protected areas

* Angola Bay Game Land (part)
* Cape Fear River Wetlands Game Land (part)
* Holly Shelter Game Land
* Lea-Hutaff Island State Natural Area
* Sandy Run Savannas State Natural Area (part)
* Whitehall Plantation Game Land (part)

### Major water bodies

* Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
* Black River, home of the oldest documented Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) at 2,649 years old; located in Bladen County
* Cape Fear River
* Doctor's Creek
* Intracoastal Waterway
* Island Creek
* Northeast Cape Fear River
* Onslow Bay

### Adjacent counties

* Duplin County – north
* Onslow County – northeast
* New Hanover County – south
* Brunswick County – south
* Columbus County – southwest
* Bladen County – west
* Sampson County – northwest

### Major highways

* I-40
* US 17
* US 17 Byp. (future Hampstead Bypass)
* US 117
* US 421
* NC 11
* NC 50
* NC 53
* NC 133
* NC 210

## Climate

Pender County is located in the humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) zone, with mostly moderate temperatures year round. Winters are mild across Pender, with the warmest winter temperatures found in the coastal areas of the county due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. The average high temperature in January is around 55 °F (13 °C) for most of Pender County. Summers are hot and humid, with the hottest summer temperatures found in the northwestern areas of the county. The average high temperature in July is around 90 °F (32 °C).
The USDA hardiness zones for Pender County are Zone 8A (10 °F to 15 °F or -12 °C to -9 °C) and Zone 8B (15 °F to 20 °F or -9 °C to -6 °C).

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Pender County racial composition :
| Race | Number | Percentage |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44,418 | 73.78% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,544 | 12.53% |
| Native American | 195 | 0.32% |
| Asian | 319 | 0.53% |
| Pacific Islander | 23 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,722 | 4.52% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,982 | 8.28% |
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 people per square mile (18 people/km$^2$). There were 20,798 housing units at an average density of 24 units per square mile (9.3 units/km$^2$). 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.
United States presidential election results for Pender County, North Carolina :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 26,042 | 66.93% | 12,460 | 32.02% | 407 | 1.05% |
| 2020 | 21,956 | 64.26% | 11,723 | 34.31% | 490 | 1.43% |
| 2016 | 17,639 | 63.26% | 9,354 | 33.54% | 892 | 3.20% |
| 2012 | 14,617 | 59.60% | 9,632 | 39.27% | 278 | 1.13% |
| 2008 | 13,618 | 57.34% | 9,907 | 41.72% | 224 | 0.94% |
| 2004 | 10,037 | 58.75% | 6,999 | 40.97% | 49 | 0.29% |
| 2000 | 7,661 | 54.13% | 6,415 | 45.32% | 78 | 0.55% |
| 1996 | 5,538 | 46.38% | 5,409 | 45.30% | 993 | 8.32% |
| 1992 | 4,857 | 39.07% | 5,825 | 46.86% | 1,748 | 14.06% |
| 1988 | 4,926 | 52.84% | 4,377 | 46.95% | 20 | 0.21% |
| 1984 | 5,079 | 53.73% | 4,354 | 46.06% | 20 | 0.21% |
| 1980 | 3,018 | 40.05% | 4,382 | 58.15% | 136 | 1.80% |
| 1976 | 2,063 | 31.56% | 4,422 | 67.65% | 52 | 0.80% |
| 1972 | 3,327 | 68.90% | 1,415 | 29.30% | 87 | 1.80% |
| 1968 | 1,007 | 17.76% | 1,942 | 34.26% | 2,720 | 47.98% |
| 1964 | 1,961 | 37.96% | 3,205 | 62.04% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,274 | 31.71% | 2,744 | 68.29% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,009 | 31.48% | 2,196 | 68.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,152 | 36.22% | 2,029 | 63.78% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 304 | 14.22% | 1,334 | 62.39% | 500 | 23.39% |
| 1944 | 441 | 20.29% | 1,732 | 79.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 305 | 11.94% | 2,249 | 88.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 333 | 12.28% | 2,379 | 87.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 270 | 11.87% | 1,993 | 87.64% | 11 | 0.48% |
| 1928 | 1,300 | 56.57% | 998 | 43.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 253 | 17.51% | 1,175 | 81.31% | 17 | 1.18% |
| 1920 | 699 | 30.67% | 1,580 | 69.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1916 | 400 | 29.20% | 970 | 70.80% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 19 | 1.52% | 967 | 77.11% | 268 | 21.37% |

## Education

The county is served by Pender County Schools.

## Communities
### Towns

* Atkinson
* Burgaw (county seat)
* Surf City
* Topsail Beach
* Wallace
* Watha

### Village

* St. Helena

### Townships

* Burgaw
* Canetuck
* Caswell
* Columbia
* Grady
* Holly
* Long Creek
* Rocky Point
* Topsail
* Union

### Census-designated places

* Hampstead (largest community)
* Long Creek
* Rocky Point

### Other unincorporated communities

* Charity
* Currie
* Montague
* Register
* Scotts Hill
* Sloop Point
* Willard
* Yamacraw

## Notable people

* John Baptista Ashe, born in Rocky Point township, delegate to the Continental Congress
* John Baptista Ashe, born in Rocky Point township, nephew of the above, United States Congressman from North Carolina
* William Shepperd Ashe, born in Rocky Point township, United States Congressman from North Carolina