Carrboro is a town located in Orange County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 16,782.

History

Carrboro, located adjacent to Chapel Hill, North Carolina and the University of North Carolina, began in 1882 as a train stop just west of Chapel Hill on the Durham-Greensboro Southern Railway ; the stop was located about a mile from the university campus in order not to disturb the population and to make it more difficult for students to leave the university by train.

Originally known as West End, North Carolina, Carrboro was later renamed Venable, after Francis P. Venable , UNC president. Settlement began slowly but began to grow after Tom Lloyd built a cotton mill nearby in 1898. The station also served the local lumber industry, and Carrboro became a major hub in the hardwood cross-tie market.

The family of Julian Carr purchased Lloyd's cotton mill in 1909, and in 1914, the town's name was changed to Carrboro. The original mill changed hands a number of times over the succeeding decades, and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen was to have it demolished in 1975 until a community petition and fundraising provided for its restoration as Carr Mill Mall.

Carrboro has a reputation of being one of the most liberal communities in the American south; known as "The Paris of the Piedmont," Carrboro was the first town in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor, Mike Nelson , in 1995. The town was also the first governmental entity in the state to grant domestic partnership benefits to homosexual couples.

Geography

Carrboro is located at 35°55'14" North, 79°5'2" West (35.920422, -79.083933).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.6 km² (4.5 mi²). 11.6 km² (4.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.22% is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 16,782 people, 7,570 households, and 3,126 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,449.6/km² (3,753.7/mi²). There are 8,207 housing units at an average density of 708.9/km² (1,835.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 72.67% White, 13.54% African American, 0.36% Native American, 5.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.85% from other races, and 2.42% from two or more races. 12.29% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 7,570 households out of which 23.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.3% are married couples living together, 8.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 58.7% are non-families. 37.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size is 3.01.

In the town the population is spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 21.4% from 18 to 24, 40.3% from 25 to 44, 14.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $33,527, and the median income for a family is $47,330. Males have a median income of $30,099 versus $31,090 for females. The per capita income for the town is $21,429. 19.0% of the population and 11.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.1% of those under the age of 18 and 6.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links

• Official Carrboro, NC website
• Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce