Tyrrell County, North Carolina
County in North Carolina, United States

County in North Carolina
Tyrrell County, North Carolina
County
Tyrrell County Courthouse in Columbia
Tyrrell County Courthouse in Columbia
Flag of Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Flag
Official seal of Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Tyrrell County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°52′N 76°10′W / 35.87°N 76.17°W / 35.87; -76.17
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1729
Named afterSir John Tyrrell[1]
SeatColumbia
Largest communityColumbia
Area
 • Total
597.18 sq mi (1,546.7 km2)
 • Land390.78 sq mi (1,012.1 km2)
 • Water206.40 sq mi (534.6 km2)  34.56%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
3,245
 • Estimate 
(2024)
3,517 Increase
 • Density8.3/sq mi (3.2/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitetyrrellcounty.org

Tyrrell County (/ˈtɛərɪl/ TAIR-il)[2][3] is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,245,[4] making it the least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Columbia.[5]

History

The county was formed in 1729 as Tyrrell Precinct of Albemarle County, from parts of Bertie Precinct, Chowan Precinct, Currituck Precinct, and Pasquotank Precinct. It was named for Sir John Tyrrell, one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina.

With the abolition of Albemarle County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties. In 1774, the western part of Tyrrell County was combined with part of Halifax County to form Martin County. In 1799, the western third of what remained of Tyrrell County became Washington County. In 1870, the half of Tyrrell County east of the Alligator River was combined with parts of Currituck County and Hyde County to form Dare County.

Geography

Map
Interactive map of Tyrrell County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 597.18 square miles (1,546.7 km2), of which 390.78 square miles (1,012.1 km2) is land and 206.40 square miles (534.6 km2) (34.56%) is water.[6] Tyrrell County, due to its proximity to the Outer Banks, has been designated as part of the Inner Banks.[7]

Wildlife in the county includes bears, red wolves, and pitcher plants.[8]

National protected area

State and local protected areas

  • Alligator River Game Land[9]
  • Alligator River Area Outstanding Resource Water (part)
  • Buckridge Coastal Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve
  • Buckridge Game Land[9]
  • Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve
  • Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Reserve (part)
  • J. Morgan Futch Game Land[10]
  • Lantern Acres Game Land (part)[9]
  • New Lake Game Land[9]
  • Palmetto-Peartree Preserve[10]
  • Pettigrew State Park (part)
  • Texas Plantation Game Land[9]

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17904,826—
18003,395−29.7%
18103,364−0.9%
18204,31928.4%
18304,7329.6%
18404,657−1.6%
18505,13310.2%
18604,944−3.7%
18704,173−15.6%
18804,5458.9%
18904,225−7.0%
19004,98017.9%
19105,2194.8%
19204,849−7.1%
19305,1646.5%
19405,5567.6%
19505,048−9.1%
19604,520−10.5%
19703,806−15.8%
19803,9754.4%
19903,856−3.0%
20004,1497.6%
20104,4076.2%
20203,245−26.4%
2024 (est.)3,517[12]8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790–1960[14] 1900–1990[15]
1990–2000[16] 2010[17] 2020[4]

2020 census

Tyrrell County racial composition[18]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 1,879 57.9%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 934 28.78%
Native American 5 0.15%
Asian 43 1.33%
Other/Mixed 112 3.45%
Hispanic or Latino 272 8.38%

As of the 2020 census, Tyrrell County had 3,245 residents, making it North Carolina's least-populous county.[19][20]

The median age was 47.2 years, 20.7% of residents were younger than 18, and 22.0% were 65 or older; for every 100 females there were 94.0 males and 90.8 males age 18 and over.[19]

The racial makeup of the county was 58.6% White, 28.9% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.7% from some other race, and 6.2% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 8.4% of the population.[21]

Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[22]

There were 1,444 households, of which 26.7% had children under 18; 40.5% were married-couple households, 22.2% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present, and 31.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 34.2% of all households consisted of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.[19]

There were 1,999 housing units, with 27.8% vacant. Among occupied units, 71.2% were owner-occupied and 28.8% were renter-occupied; the homeowner vacancy rate stood at 2.9% and the rental vacancy rate at 8.9%.[19]

Demographic change

Tyrrell County's population peaked in 1940 with 5,556 residents. The population subsequently declined to about 4,000 residents, where it remained for several decades before shrinking further due to outmigration fueled by diminished job opportunities.[8] Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Tyrrell's population dropped by 26 percent, the largest population drop by percentage in the state.[20]

Government and politics

Tyrrell County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners. The elections for County Commissioners are partisan and at large.[23] To save money, some of Tyrrell's government services are consolidated with other neighboring rural counties such as Hyde and Washington.[8]

Tyrrell County is a member of the Albemarle Commission, a regional economic development organization which serves several counties in eastern North Carolina.[24]

In 2022, Tyrrell County is represented by Ed Goodwin in the 1st district in the North Carolina House of Representatives and Bobby Hanig in the 1st district in the North Carolina Senate.

United States presidential election results for Tyrrell County, North Carolina[25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№  % №  % №  %
1912 224 35.84% 297 47.52% 104 16.64%
1916 392 48.51% 416 51.49% 0 0.00%
1920 532 42.56% 718 57.44% 0 0.00%
1924 442 40.89% 638 59.02% 1 0.09%
1928 505 51.53% 475 48.47% 0 0.00%
1932 258 22.69% 873 76.78% 6 0.53%
1936 304 22.47% 1,049 77.53% 0 0.00%
1940 415 26.69% 1,140 73.31% 0 0.00%
1944 281 31.50% 611 68.50% 0 0.00%
1948 336 30.19% 732 65.77% 45 4.04%
1952 385 29.59% 916 70.41% 0 0.00%
1956 420 40.58% 615 59.42% 0 0.00%
1960 349 27.37% 926 72.63% 0 0.00%
1964 374 27.30% 996 72.70% 0 0.00%
1968 291 22.61% 581 45.14% 415 32.25%
1972 676 59.30% 459 40.26% 5 0.44%
1976 403 30.88% 900 68.97% 2 0.15%
1980 466 34.01% 887 64.74% 17 1.24%
1984 774 48.89% 807 50.98% 2 0.13%
1988 637 44.70% 785 55.09% 3 0.21%
1992 553 33.03% 928 55.44% 193 11.53%
1996 488 32.25% 908 60.01% 117 7.73%
2000 706 45.08% 849 54.21% 11 0.70%
2004 855 53.77% 731 45.97% 4 0.25%
2008 960 50.26% 933 48.85% 17 0.89%
2012 930 52.16% 837 46.94% 16 0.90%
2016 975 56.07% 720 41.40% 44 2.53%
2020 1,044 57.46% 758 41.72% 15 0.83%
2024 1,057 60.16% 680 38.70% 20 1.14%

In the 2020 elections in Tyrrell County, Republicans took more votes than Democrats in federal and statewide contests.[26]

Economy

Tyrrell County's economy is heavily reliant on agriculture—with its largest crop being potatoes[8] — as well as forestry and fishing.[27] The county also hosts a small tourism industry centered around hunting, fishing, and bird watching.[8][27] It suffers from high poverty and food insecurity rates.[27]

Communities

Map of Tyrrell County with municipal and township labels

Town

  • Columbia (county seat and largest community)

Townships

  • Alligator
  • Columbia
  • Gum Neck
  • Scuppernong
  • South Fork

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ^ Bangma, Peter (2006). Powell, William S. (ed.). "Tyrrell County". NCpedia. University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  2. ^ "NC Pronunciation Guide". WRAL. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  3. ^ Talk Like a Tarheel Archived June 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, from the North Carolina Collection website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "QuickFacts: Tyrrell County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "Series: The New Waterfront". News and Observer. July 31, 2006. Archived from the original on July 1, 2006.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Campbell, Colin (October 31, 2021). "Tiny Tyrrell County wants to grow". Business North Carolina. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Kozak, Catherine (April 28, 2019). "Increased Flooding Plagues Tyrrell County". Coastal Review. North Carolina Coastal Federation. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  11. ^ Fuss, J. David (October 11, 2001). "Restoration And Management Plan For The Emily And Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve, Tyrrell County, North Carolina". www.deq.nc.gov. p. 4. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  12. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  15. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  16. ^ "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 20, 2015.
  17. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  18. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Tester, Brandon (August 12, 2021). "2020 Census: Beaufort County's population decreased by 6.5%". Washington Daily News. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  21. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  22. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  23. ^ "About Us". tyrrellcounty.org. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  24. ^ "Report: COG Director Had Conflict of Interest". Coastal Review. North Carolina Coastal Federation. February 1, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  25. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  26. ^ McClees, Ray (November 10, 2020). "Republicans led Tyrrell vote results". Washington Daily News. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  27. ^ a b c Igelman, Jack (September 15, 2021). "Changing climate poses burden as people count on fishing". Carolina Public Press. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tyrrell County, North Carolina.
  • Geographic data related to Tyrrell County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
  • Official website
  • NCGenWeb Tyrrell County, genealogy resources for the county
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