Asheboro, North Carolina

Asheboro is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 21,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County, and is the home of the state-owned North Carolina Zoo.

Geography
Asheboro is located at °N, °W (35.715211, -79.813001).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (40.0 km²), of which, 15.3 square miles (39.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.58%) is water. Asheboro is known as the center point of NC. Although Asheboro is located in the gently rolling Piedmont plateau region of central North Carolina, far to the east of the Appalachian Mountains, the town and surrounding area are surprisingly hilly. The town lies within the Uwharrie Mountains, an ancient series of ridges and monadnocks which have been worn down by erosion to high hills. As such, Asheboro gives the impression of being in a more mountainous area than it actually is.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 21,672 people, 8,756 households, and 5,516 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,412.5 people per square mile (545.5/km²). There were 9,515 housing units at an average density of 620.1 per square mile (239.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.49% White, 12.08% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 7.72% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.93% of the population.

There were 8,756 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,676, and the median income for a family was $39,397. Males had a median income of $27,280 versus $21,834 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,382. About 12.5% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over. Domestic migration rates fell from 10.5% to 1.9% between 2000 and 2007. Poverty increased from 15.8% to 26.7% as incomes declined by 9.5%.

Sports

 * Asheboro is home to the Asheboro Copperheads of the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Copperheads play at McCrary Park in Asheboro.  The Copperheads began play for the 1999 season.
 * Caraway Speedway, a Whelen Southern Modified Tour racing location. It is .455 mile asphalt oval that has seen famous stockcar drivers Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Kyle Petty grace its track.

Famous former and current residents

 * Sam Ard, 1983 and 1984 Nascar Busch Series Champion
 * William Cicero Hammer, U.S. Congressional Representative Democrat 1921–1930
 * Reynolds Price, novelist, essayist and educator, resident of the town in the 1930s and 1940s.
 * Kerry Collins, quarterback for the Tennessee Titans
 * Chuck Bown, 1980 Nascar Busch Series Champion
 * Jonathan Worth, North Carolina Governor from 1865 to 1868 during early Reconstruction
 * Traci Lazenby Elliott, Linda Flowers Literary Award Winner 2010
 * Scott Bankhead, pitcher for the University of North Carolina, 1984 US Olympic Team and 1986-95 Major League Baseball, 1989 Seattle Mariners MVP