Hyde County, North Carolina

Hyde County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,589, The county was created in 1705 as Wickham Precinct. It was renamed Hyde Precinct in 1712 and gained county status in 1739. Governor of North Carolina from 1711 to 1712. In 1739, Bath County was abolished, and Hyde Precinct became Hyde County. In 1745, Lake Mattamuskeet and its adjoining territory were transferred from Currituck County to Hyde County.

Antebellum

Communities coalesced and churches were formed in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War.

In 1819, the portion of Hyde County west of the Pungo River was annexed by Beaufort County. Four years later, the area of Currituck County south of New Inlet was transferred to Hyde County. This area included Hatteras Island.

In 1834, an "apprenticeship" program was begun whereby local Native American children were placed under the tutelage of white families to learn trades. Lasting until 1865, the policy resulted in the loss of much independent Native American cultural identity in the area. In 1845, Ocracoke Island was transferred from Carteret County to Hyde County. Ocracoke benefitted from a modest shipping industry which persisted into the mid-1800s, while the mainland portion of county was largely agrarian, though farmers struggled in the swampy terrain. Northern investors also took an interest in the county during Reconstruction, particularly in the harvest of timber. Between 1870 and 1920, the county experienced some economic prosperity due to the logging of cypress, juniper, and oak trees. Several sawmills and railroads were established. The industry declined as the county's forests thinned, before being overcome by the Great Depression. Hyde County received its first paved road in the 1920s and gained electric service in 1935.

By the mid-20th century, the agriculturally-reliant county was in economic and demographic decline, benefiting none from the public infrastructure investments and industrial growth of the postwar economic boom occurring elsewhere in the state. Several towns that had prospered in the early 1900s were left totally abandoned, and the vast majority of county residents were impoverished. The timber industry continued to provide some employment, while after World War II the seafood packing industry grew. Jim Crow racial segregation took hold after the close of the 19th century and persisted, depriving blacks of political and economic opportunities available to whites. In 1950, about one third of white residents had access to hot running water and flushing toilets, while no blacks had such amenities, and tended to live near small creeks and drainage canals. It is the second-largest county in North Carolina by total area. The mainland portion of the county also borders the Pamlico Sound, while Ocracoke Island rests on the Atlantic Ocean.

Hyde County is characterized by many swamps. It has a flat topography and its highest point, a spot west of Alligator Lake, rests about 18 feet above sea level. Owing to its low elevation, the county suffers from frequent flooding and saltwater intrusion of its soil. Lake Mattamuskeet is the largest naturally occurring lake in North Carolina.

Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Reserve (part)
Gull Rock Game Land

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| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

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thumb|2020 population density of Hyde County NC by census block

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Hyde County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|3,754

|3,582

|3,590

|3,436

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,928

|63.92%

|66.20%

|61.62%

|59.14%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |63.80%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|2,057

|1,778

|2,038

|1,833

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,152

|35.02%

|32.86%

|34.98%

|31.55%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |25.10%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|18

|22

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7

|0.00%

|0.07%

|0.31%

|0.38%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.15%

|Asian alone (NH)

|16

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7

|0.03%

|0.06%

|0.27%

|0.28%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.15%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2

|0.00%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.04%

|Other race alone (NH)

|26

|style='background: #ffffe6; |15

|0.10%

|0.02%

|0.00%

|0.45%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.33%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|33

|65

|style='background: #ffffe6; |131

|0.57%

|1.12%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.85%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|54

|43

|131

|411

|style='background: #ffffe6; |347

|0.92%

|0.79%

|2.25%

|7.07%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.56%

|Total

|5,873

|5,411

|5,826

|5,810

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,589

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,589 people in Hyde County, making it the second-least populous county in North Carolina.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,804 households in the county, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.6% were married-couple households, 21.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Hyde's population dropped by 21 percent, one of the largest population drops by percentage in the state.

Law and government

There are no incorporated communities or municipal governments in Hyde; all local governmental activities occur at the county level. Hyde County is governed by a five-member board of commissioners. Each member is nominated by a township in the county, but all are elected at-large. The commissioners appoint a county manager who oversees county governmental administration. As of 2024, Hyde County has the highest per-capita tax levy in the state – $2,249 per person.

Hyde County is a member of the Albemarle Commission, a regional economic development organization which serves several counties in eastern North Carolina.

Hyde County is located within North Carolina's 3rd congressional district, the North Carolina Senate's 1st district, and the North Carolina House of Representatives' 79th district.

Politics

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The mainland area of Hyde County tends to be dominated by Republicans, while Ocracoke tends to be dominated by Democrats. The county also favored Republican candidates in statewide and most local races.

Economy

Hyde County is one of the most economically distressed counties in North Carolina. The economy is sustained by agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Most of the county's businesses are concentrated on Ocracoke Island and cater to tourists.

Healthcare

Hyde County's last hospital closed in 2014. It is one of three counties in North Carolina with no private dental practitioners.

Culture

Hyde County is a popular destination for fishing and bear and duck hunting. Ocracoke attracts many tourists. Most families that reside in Hyde County have generational roots there, and many black and white families share surnames. Historically, natives of both mainland Hyde County and Ocracoke Island often spoke a Hoi Toider dialect of English. The trend has declined over time, and, particularly since the 1970s, newer generations of local African Americans tend to speak a dialect closer to urban variants of African-American Vernacular English.

Media

Hyde County is home to two full power radio stations, WKHC 97.1 FM and WCMS-FM 94.5. These stations are licensed to Hatteras, NC but maintain transmitter facilities outside of Engelhard.

Ocracoke Island is home to WOVV 90.1 FM, a low power non-commercial station.

Communities

thumb|250px|Map of Hyde County with municipal and township labels

Hyde County has no incorporated municipalities. There are five townships: Currituck, Fairfield, Lake Landing, Ocracoke, and Swan Quarter.