Woodland, North Carolina

Woodland is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 809 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Woodland, North Carolina
Town
Location of Woodland, North Carolina
Coordinates: 36°19′45″N 77°13′2″W
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Northampton
Area [1]
• Total	1.25 sq mi (3.24 km^2)
• Land	1.25 sq mi (3.24 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	69 ft (21 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	809
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	703
• Density	561.50/sq mi (216.88/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	27897
Area code(s)	252
FIPS code	37-75340[3]
GNIS feature ID	0997584[4]

History

The Woodland-Olney School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[5]

Geography

Woodland is located at 36°19′45″N 77°13′2″W (36.329052, -77.217250).[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	247		—
1900	242		−2.0%
1910	312		28.9%
1920	400		28.2%
1930	501		25.3%
1940	486		−3.0%
1950	590		21.4%
1960	651		10.3%
1970	744		14.3%
1980	861		15.7%
1990	760		−11.7%
2000	833		9.6%
2010	809		−2.9%
Est. 2019	703	[2]	−13.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 833 people, 328 households, and 211 families residing in the town. The population density was 644.6 people per square mile (249.3/km²). There were 356 housing units at an average density of 275.5 per square mile (106.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 51.02% White, 47.78% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.60% from other races, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 328 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out with 31.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,125, and the median income for a family was $30,804. Males had a median income of $28,438 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,682. About 21.4% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.4% of those under age 18 and 27.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Woodland is in the first congressional district of North Carolina, and since 2004 is represented in Congress by G. K. Butterfield.[8] It is within the traditionally Democratic county of Northampton which was one of only two counties in the state won by George McGovern.[9]

Opposition to solar energy

In 2015, the Woodland town council imposed a moratorium on solar energy farms after three solar farms were approved.[10] At the town council meeting where the issue was discussed, fear was expressed that proposed installation of additional solar panels would prevent plants in the area from photosynthesizing, stopping them from growing.[11] Resident Jane Mann, a retired science teacher, expressed concern for the natural vegetation that makes the community beautiful, explaining that she had observed areas near solar panels where vegetation was dead due to lack of enough sunlight.[10] She also stated that solar panels could cause cancer.[10][12] Bobby Mann argued that additional solar farms would "suck up all the energy from the sun" and hurt the town's businesses.[12] Another resident asked that any future solar farm requests be placed on a referendum so the citizens can make the decision.[10]

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
8. http://congressional-district.insidegov.com/l/377508/27897
9. David Leip's Presidential Atlas (Maps for North Carolina by election)
10. Hoggard, Keith (2015-12-08). "Woodland rejects solar farm". Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
11. Osborne, Samuel. "US town rejects solar farm after residents say it would suck up all the sunlight". The Independent. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
12. Ng, Alfred (13 December 2015). "North Carolina town rejects solar farm because citizens think panels will 'suck up all the energy from the sun'". New York Daily News. Retrieved 8 October 2016.