East Spencer, North Carolina

East Spencer is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, East Spencer had a population of 1,567. Originally called "Southern City" because of significance of the railway to the area, it was incorporated in 1901 as East Spencer. It was named for the Spencer shops that opened in the area in 1896.

Geography

East Spencer is located adjacent to and south of the town of Spencer, North Carolina. The Southern Railway tracks separate the two towns.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.

Government

The town of East Spencer is governed by a mayor and six board of alderman members. The mayor serves a two-year term and the board members serve staggered four-year terms. The board of alderman selects a town manager, who conducts the business of the Town, supervise staff, manages finances, prepares meetings and assists the town as needed.

A post office was first established in East Spencer on February 12, 1919, with William J. Hatley as postmaster.

Demographics

2020 census

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

|+East Spencer racial composition

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

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

| 233

| 14.87%

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

| 1,078

| 68.79%

!scope="row"| Native American

| 6

| 0.38%

!scope="row"| Asian

| 7

| 0.45%

!scope="row"| Pacific Islander

| 4

| 0.26%

!scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 86

| 5.49%

!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 153

| 9.76%

As of the 2020 census, East Spencer had a population of 1,567. The median age was 36.0 years. 29.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82.0 males age 18 and over.

There were 653 households in East Spencer, including 287 family households. Of all households, 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 21.3% were married-couple households, 25.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 45.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Essie Mae Kiser Foxx Charter School: This charter school was named for a prominent community leader in East Spencer. It opened in August 2018 as a free, community-centric public school of choice with grades kindergarten through four and plans to add a grade each year until grades kindergarten through eighth grade are included. The enrollment is 150 students.

Churches

The following religious organizations are located in East Spencer:

East Spencer Baptist Church
Faith Temple Triumphant Ministries, Inc.
Long Street Methodist-Episcopal Church
North Carolina-Virginia Primitive Baptist State Convention Worship and Conference Center
Shady Grove Baptist Church
Solid Rock Baptist Church
Southern City AME Zion Church
The Guiding Light Baptist Association
Word of God Street Ministry

Notable people

Javon Hargrave, American football player
Bobby Jackson (1973 ), NBA guard
Carl Torbush, American football coach