China Grove is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,434 at the 2020 census. The town is located just north of Landis and south of Salisbury. It was one of the first towns in the United States to have Rural Free Mail Delivery.

The town was named for a grove of chinaberry trees planted near the town's rail depot.

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2020 census

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"

|+China Grove racial composition

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

|-

!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 3,312

| 74.7%

|-

!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 329

| 7.42%

|-

!scope="row"| Native American

| 8

| 0.18%

|-

!scope="row"| Asian

| 65

| 1.47%

|-

!scope="row"| Pacific Islander

| 6

| 0.14%

|-

!scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 176

| 3.97%

|-

!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 538

| 12.13%

|}

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,434 people, 1,696 households, and 927 families residing in the town.

The median age was 38.1 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males age 18 and over.

Of occupied housing units, 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.5% were married-couple households, 18.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Notable people

  • Carey Hoyt Bostian, former Chancellor of North Carolina State University
  • Gary Chapman, best-selling author of The Five Love Languages
  • Jackie Fargo (a.k.a. Henry Faggart), former professional wrestler resided in China Grove. Fargo once led the careers of Jerry Lawler and The Fabulous Ones Stan Lane and Steve Keirn.
  • Jack "Sonny Fargo" Faggart, professional wrestler.
  • Jack Melchor, venture capitalist
  • Curly Seckler, mandolin player with the Foggy Mountain Boys
  • Dillon Stevens, actor and dancer best known for playing Michael in touring productions of Billy Elliot the Musical
  • Wednesday 13, rock musician

See also

  • China Grove Township

References

  • Police department