Wadesboro is a town in and the county seat of Anson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,008 at the 2020 census. The town was originally found in 1783 as New Town but changed by the North Carolina General Assembly to Wadesboro in 1787 to honor Colonel Thomas Wade, a native son, state legislator, and Revolutionary War commander of the Anson County Regiment.
History
thumb|left|Children in Wadesboro, 1938. Photo by [[Marion Post Wolcott.]]
Originally named Newtown, the town was renamed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1787 in honor of Colonel Thomas Wade after his service with the Anson County Regiment of militia in the American Revolutionary War.
In 1900, astronomers determined that Wadesboro would be the best location in North America for viewing a total solar eclipse. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, then based in Washington, D.C., loaded several railroad cars with scientific equipment and headed to the town.
The Boggan-Hammond House and Alexander Little Wing, United States Post Office, and Wadesboro Downtown Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which , or 0.20%, is water.
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Demographics
2020 census
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Wadesboro racial composition
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)
| 1,610
| 32.15%
|-
!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
| 3,066
| 61.88%
|-
!scope="row"| Native American
| 18
| 0.36%
|-
!scope="row"| Asian
| 66
| 1.32%
|-
!scope="row"| Other/Mixed
| 126
| 2.52%
|-
!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino
| 89
| 1.78%
|}
As of the 2020 census, Wadesboro had a population of 5,008. There were 2,002 households and 1,164 families residing in the town.
The median age was 42.7 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.7 males age 18 and over.
Of households in Wadesboro, 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 27.4% were married-couple households, 20.4% 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 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 2,303 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.1% were headed by married couples living together, 25.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40, and the average family size was 3.09.
Education
Wadesboro is served by the Anson County School District. The District includes Anson High School.
The Anson County School system and the Wadesboro Rotary Club collaborated to make the Rotary Planetarium and Science Center available to students.
Art and Culture
Source:
- Colonel Thomas Wade, Revolutionary War hero and legislator
In popular culture
Horror film Evil Dead II was filmed in Wadesboro, and the Huntley House became the production office for the film. Most of Evil Dead II was filmed in the woods near that farmhouse, or J.R. Faison Junior High School, which is where the interior cabin set was located.
See also
- List of municipalities in North Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Anson County, North Carolina