Northampton

Formed January 1, 1741 (15^th county)

Northampton County (17,474), Jackson (429), Gaston (1,015)

The Greek Revival style county courthouse was built in 1858.  The facility is on Jefferson Street at Depot Street.  United States Highway 158 is Jefferson Street in the town.  Henry King Burgwyn designed this red brick courthouse.  The building was renovated in 1938, 1991, and 2003.  It features columns and veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was formed on January 1, 1741 from Bertie County as the 15^th county with Jackson as the only county seat.  The county is named for the Earl of Northampton.  Jackson is named for United States President Andrew Jackson.  He is also the source name for Jackson County and the county seat of Onslow County. 

Northampton County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Sixteen Superior Court Judges serve Northampton, Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, and Wilson counties, Seven District Court Judges serve Northampton, Bertie, Halifax, and Hertford counties and a court clerk serves Northampton County (judicial.)  The county is on the northeast border with Virginia.  Raleigh, North Carolina is southwest and Norfolk, Virginia is northeast of the county.  The county center is 2.6 miles North of Jackson.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Virginia and Hertford, Bertie, Halifax, and Warren. 

The area of the county is 551 square miles.  It is 36 out of 100 in the state.  It ranks 86 out of 100 in population in the state.  It has a density of 31.7 persons per square mile making it 90 out of 100 in the state.  Northampton County has 30.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 95 clips the northwest corner of the county from Virginia, north, to Halifax County, south.  United States Highway 158 crosses east to west from Hertford County to Halifax County.  United States Highway 258 comes from Hertford County, east, and goes into Halifax County, southeast.  United States Highway 301 parallels Interstate Highway 95 from Virginia to Halifax County.  The overall shape of the county is triangular.  Jackson is located near the geographical center of the county.  Gaston is in the northwest part of the county.  Jackson is the county seat and Gaston is the largest city.  Jackson is 2.5% of the county population while Gaston is 5.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area.