General Population CharacteristicsFrom 1980 to 2010, <strong>Pitt</strong> <strong>County</strong> has consistently set the pace for population growth in theeight-county region (Table A-21). In this thirty-year period, the population of <strong>Pitt</strong> <strong>County</strong>soared 86.5% while the total population of North Carolina grew from 6,632,448 persons to9,535,483 persons – an increase of 43.7%.Table A-21Comparison of Population Growth Rates - 1980-2010<strong>Pitt</strong> <strong>County</strong> and Selected Counties in the Region<strong>County</strong> 1980 1990 2000 2010% Change1980-1990% Change1990-2000% Change2000-2010% Change1980-2010<strong>Pitt</strong> 90,146 108,480 133,798 168,148 20.3% 23.3% 25.7% 86.5%Beaufort 40,355 42,283 44,958 47,759 4.8% 6.3% 6.2% 18.3%Craven 71,043 81,812 91,436 103,505 15.2% 11.8% 13.2% 45.7%Edgecombe 55,988 56,606 56,692 56,552 1.1% 0.2% -0.2% 1.0%Greene 16,117 15,384 18,974 21,362 -4.5% 23.3% 12.6% 32.5%Lenoir 59,819 57,274 59,648 59,495 -4.3% 4.1% -0.3% -0.5%Martin 25,948 25,078 25,593 24,505 -3.4% 2.1% -4.3% -5.6%Wilson 63,132 66,061 73,814 81,234 4.6% 11.7% 10.1% 28.7%Source: 1980-2010 U.S. Census<strong>Plan</strong>ning ImplicationRapid residential growth has been the catalyst for growing public demands for additionaland improved <strong>County</strong> services including new schools, additional parks and an improvedtransportation system. Commuting patterns to and from work from outlying rural areasand suburbs have increased the pressure and stress on everyday commuting. However,lack of or slow population growth in certain areas of the <strong>County</strong>, particularly the Bethel,Fountain, and Falkland townships, indicates that these areas of the <strong>County</strong> areexperiencing slow economic growth compared to more prosperous areas of the <strong>County</strong>.<strong>2030</strong> <strong>Comprehensive</strong> <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Use</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> Appendix A: Inventory and Analysis<strong>Pitt</strong> <strong>County</strong>, North Carolina A-36
Insert Map A-3 Growth by Townships(Note: All document maps are to be retained in separate large format form until the final draftdocument is complete.)<strong>2030</strong> <strong>Comprehensive</strong> <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Use</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> Appendix A: Inventory and Analysis<strong>Pitt</strong> <strong>County</strong>, North Carolina A-37