Harrisburg, North Carolina
Harrisburg, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Harrisburg Town Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "The right side of opportunity" | |
 Location of Harrisburg, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates: 35°19′04″N 80°39′06″W / 35.31778°N 80.65167°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cabarrus |
| Settled | 1732–1765 |
| Incorporated | 1973 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jennifer Teague[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 11.47 sq mi (29.70 km2) |
| • Land | 11.47 sq mi (29.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 640 ft (200 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 18,967 |
| • Density | 1,653.8/sq mi (638.55/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 28075 |
| Area codes | 704, 980 |
| FIPS code | 37-29800[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406649[3] |
| Website | www |
Harrisburg is a town in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States. It is a northeastern suburb of Charlotte. In the 2020 census, the population was 18,967.[5]
Geography
[edit]Harrisburg is located in southwestern Cabarrus County. It is bordered to the north by Concord and to the west by Charlotte in Mecklenburg County.
North Carolina Highway 49 passes through the center of Harrisburg, leading northeast 57 miles (92 km) to Asheboro and southwest 13 miles (21 km) to the center of Charlotte. Charlotte Motor Speedway is 3 miles (5 km) north of the center of town, within the Concord city limits.
Harrisburg has a total area of 11.15 square miles (28.9 km2), all land. The town boasts 3.4 miles of greenway, with 25 more miles proposed.[6]
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,433 | — | |
| 1990 | 1,625 | 13.4% | |
| 2000 | 4,493 | 176.5% | |
| 2010 | 11,526 | 156.5% | |
| 2020 | 18,967 | 64.6% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 20,742 | [7]  | 9.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, Harrisburg had a population of 18,967.[9][10] The median age was 38.6 years. 28.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.0% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.0 males age 18 and over.[9]
99.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.2% lived in rural areas.[11]
There were 6,183 households in the town, including 4,164 families. Of all households, 48.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 69.6% were married-couple households, 8.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 18.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 13.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[9]
There were 6,374 housing units, of which 3.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.9%.[9]
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 10,606 | 55.92% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,701 | 19.51% |
| Native American | 56 | 0.3% |
| Asian | 2,579 | 13.6% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 883 | 4.66% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,137 | 5.99% |
Demographic estimates
[edit]At the 2017 census estimate,[13] there were 3.16 persons per household in the town. The population percent change between April 1, 2010, and July 1, 2017, was 17.9%. There were 926 veterans.
In 2016, the median property value in Harrisburg was $245,400, and the homeownership rate was 89.1%. The national average was 63.6%.[14] The median income for a household in the town was $88,865 and the per capita income was $32,310.[14]
Government
[edit]Harrisburg has a council–manager form of government. The Town Council is elected on a non-partisan basis every two years, and members serve staggered four-year terms with no term limits. The mayor is elected separately for a four-year term and is ex officio chair of the Town Council. The Town Council has eight members from the community and appoints a town manager to oversee day-to-day operations.[15]
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Erin Banks (mayor pro tem) | 2025–2029 |
| Altyn Cotell | 2021–2029 |
| Chris Faw | 2023–2027 |
| La'Trecia Glover | 2023–2027 |
| Ron Smith | 2023–2027 |
| Jennifer Teague (mayor) | 2021–2029 |
| Mike Thevenin | 2023–2027 |
| Lex Thomas | 2025–2029 |
While the Town Council is responsible for passing ordinances, the town's budget, and other policies, all decisions can be overridden by the North Carolina General Assembly, since North Carolina municipalities do not have home rule. While municipal powers have been broadly construed since the 1960s, the General Assembly still retains considerable authority over local matters.[16]
Education
[edit]The percent of people over 25 with a high school diploma or higher was 95.6% and 44.0% for those with a bachelor's degree or higher. Local schools include Harrisburg Elementary School, Hickory Ridge Elementary School, Hickory Ridge Middle School and Hickory Ridge High School.
The largest universities by graduates near Harrisburg are, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College and Rowan–Cabarrus Community College. The most common bachelor's degree concentrations are General Business Administration and Management, General Psychology and General Biological Studies.[14]
Notable people
[edit]- Austin McDaniel (born 1994), racing driver
- Gordon Tottle (1925– 1987), professional ice hockey player[17][18]
References
[edit]- ^ "Town Council". www.harrisburgnc.org. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Harrisburg, North Carolina
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "QuickFacts: Harrisburg town, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ "Welcome!". Friends of Harrisburg Greenways. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "2025 City and town population estimates: North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau. May 14, 2026. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "QuickFacts Harrisburg town, North Carolina;UNITED STATES". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Harrisburg, NC". Data USA. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ "Article III. Mayor And Town Council". American Legal Publishing. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ "Is North Carolina a Dillon's Rule State?". Coates' Canons NC Local Government Law. September 24, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ Martin, Ed (March 12, 1987). "Gordon E. Tottle, Local, U.S. Team Hockey Player". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 11.
- ^ Hostetler, Gerry (March 11, 1987). "Mecklenburg County Deaths: Mr. Gordon Elwood Tottle". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 12.
External links
[edit]Municipalities and communities of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
