Avery County, North Carolina

Avery County is a located in the  of. As of, the population is 17,167. Its is.

History
The county was formed in from parts of, , and. It was named for, a colonel in the and the first  (1777-1779). Avery County was the last county created in North Carolina. It is often noted for the large amount of Christmas trees that the county produces. "A History of Avery County" was published in 1972 by Horton Edward Cooper. In it he noted:Because people make history, our citizens show an intense interest in the events of the past and are displaying an eagerness more than ever in local history; too, they have become eagerly interested in genealogy. All mountaineers enjoy a good anecdote. The people of Avery County are not all descendants of pioneers who came into this rugged land a good many generations ago, but we are proud of those and their descendants who can trace their ancestry to the four points of the compass... As a rule, our families are close-knit units and family pride exists no higher on earth than here. No stronger love for America and the American flag can be found anywhere in our country. We are proud of our inheritance, which for our rugged pioneer ancestors and several generations meant hardship, often disappointing toil, loneliness, self-sufficiency and a struggle for survival.

Law and government
Avery County is a member of the regional.

Agriculture
The county is known for its production of.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 km² (247 sq mi). Avery County is extremely rural and mountainous with all of the county's terrain is located within the Appalachian Mountains range. The highest point in the county is Grassy Ridge Bald, which rises to 6,165 feet (1,879 meters) above sea level. Most of Grandfather Mountain (whose highest point is Calloway Peak 5,964 feet (1,818 meters) shared with Watauga and Caldwell counties) is within Avery county. At an elevation of 5,506 feet (1,678 meters) above sea level, Beech Mountain (also shared with Watauga county) is the highest incorporated community east of the Mississippi River. At an elevation of 3,606 feet (1,099 meters) Newland is the highest county seat in the Eastern United States.

Climate
As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County enjoys considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the snow skiing areas which operate in the area. Banner Elk, NC Historical Climate Summary

Demographics
As of the of 2000, there were 17,167 people, 6,532 households, and 4,546 families residing in the county. The was 27/km² (70/sq mi). There were 11,911 housing units at an average density of 19/km² (48/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 93.95%, 3.48% or , 0.34% , 0.19% , 0.04% , 1.28% from , and 0.71% from two or more races. 2.41% of the population were or  of any race.

There were 6,532 households out of which 27.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.10% were living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county the population was spread out with 19.40% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 111.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,627, and the median income for a family was $37,454. Males had a median income of $25,983 versus $21,652 for females. The for the county was $15,176. About 10.90% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 19.00% of those age 65 or over.