Halifax County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,022. Its county seat is Halifax.
Contents
History
Occupied by varying cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years, in historic times English colonists encountered Native Americans. Halifax County was established in 1752 by English colonists from Lunenburg County. The county was named for George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax.
Through the 1990 Census, South Boston was an independent city, but it became a town again and rejoined Halifax County in 1995.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 830 square miles (2,100 km2), of which 818 square miles (2,120 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (1.4%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Campbell County - northwest
Charlotte County - northeast
Mecklenburg County - east
Granville County, North Carolina - southeast
Person County, North Carolina - south
Caswell County, North Carolina - southwest
Pittsylvania County - west
Major highways
US 58
US 360
US 501
SR 34
SR 40
SR 49
SR 57
SR 62
SR 92
SR 96
SR 119
SR 129
SR 304
SR 344
SR 349
SR 360
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 34,022. The median age was 47.7 years. 20.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 60.0% White, 34.7% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.2% of the population.
21.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 78.2% lived in rural areas.
There were 14,698 households in the county, of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 32.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 17,275 housing units, of which 14.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.8% were owner-occupied and 29.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,355 people, 15,018 households, and 10,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile (18 people/km2). There were 16,953 housing units at an average density of 21 units per square mile (8.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 60.32% White, 38.02% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 1.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 15,018 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 14.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 27.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,929, and the median income for a family was $37,845. Males had a median income of $27,498 versus $20,684 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,353. About 11.50% of families and 15.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 19.60% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Board of Supervisors
District 1: Maurice Riddle, Jr.
District 2: Larry D Roller
District 3: Hubert Pannell
District 4: Dennis Witt
District 5: Robbie Smart
District 6: Stanley Brandon
District 7: Keith McDowell
District 8: William Bryant Claiborne
Tie Breaker: Wayne Smith
Constitutional officers
Clerk of the Circuit Court: Cathy M. Cosby (I)
Commissioner of the Revenue: Brenda P. Powell (I)
Commonwealth's Attorney: Tracy Quackenbush Martin (I)
Sheriff: Fred S. Clark (I)
Treasurer: Shana Lynn Hetzell (I)
Halifax is represented by Republicans Tammy Brankley Mulchi in the Virginia Senate, Republicans Danny Marshall and Thomas C. Wright in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican John McGuire in the U.S. House of Representatives. Halifax is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
Communities
Towns
Halifax
Scottsburg
South Boston
Virgilina
Census-designated places
Clover
Cluster Springs
Mountain Road
Nathalie
Riverdale
Education
The school district is the Halifax County Public Schools school district.
Notable people
Jay Blackton, who won an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for Oklahoma! (1955), is buried in South Boston.
Frances Webb Bumpass, newspaper publisher
James Coles Bruce, Virginia House of Delegates
Burton family of NASCAR. Brothers Ward and Jeff Burton are from South Boston and prepared for their racing careers at South Boston Speedway. Their children Jeb (Ward) and Harrison (Jeff) are from South Boston.
Clement Comer Clay, Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama, U.S. House of Representatives, and the United States Senate
Tyrone Davis, NFL player for the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers, is from South Boston.
Earl Ferrell, National Football League player
Luther Hilton Foster (1888-1949), President of Virginia Normal and Industrial School, now Virginia State University, near Petersburg
Colin Garrett, racing driver
Henry E. Garrett (1894-1973), prominent psychologist at Columbia and UVa, and supporter of racial segregation
Grandmaster Slice, American hip-hop musician
J. Steven Griles (b. 1947), former United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior (2001–04) in the George W. Bush administration, coal lobbyist, implicated in the Jack Abramoff scandal
Jeremy Jeffress, former pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays