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Scott County, Virginia

Coordinates: 36°43′N 82°36′W / 36.72°N 82.60°W / 36.72; -82.60
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Scott County
County
Scott County Courthouse in 2013
Scott County Courthouse in 2013
Flag of Scott County
Flag
Official seal of Scott County
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Scott County
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°43′N 82°36′W / 36.72°N 82.6°W / 36.72; -82.6
Country United States
State Virginia
FoundedNovember 24, 1814
Named forWinfield Scott
SeatGate City
Largest townGate City
Area
 • Total
539 sq mi (1,400 km2)
 • Land536 sq mi (1,390 km2)
 • Water3.1 sq mi (8 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
21,576 Decrease
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district9th
Websitewww.scottcountyva.com

Scott County is a county located in the far southwestern part of the U.S. state of Virginia, on the border with Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,576.[1] Its county seat is Gate City.[2] Scott County was formed by an act of the General Assembly on November 24, 1814, from parts of Washington, Lee, and Russell counties and was named for Virginia-born General Winfield Scott.[3] Scott County is part of the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area, commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region. The County Administrator is Freda Russell Starnes.

History

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The area was occupied for thousands of years by indigenous Native Americans. Early Anglo-European settlers found evidence of a former native village at the mouth of Stony Creek on the Clinch River. Bands of Cherokee lived in the area.

In 1769 Thomas McCulloch was the first white settler in what was later organized as the county. Daniel Boone commanded several forts located here in 1774 during Dunmore's War, and several more were built in successive years.[4]

Increased settlement of colonial Americans encroached on Cherokee territory. A group known by the settlers as the Chickamauga Cherokee (but they were not a separate tribe), was led by Bob Benge. They had armed confrontations with settlers during the Cherokee–American wars. Benge was killed in 1794, years after the United States gained independence in the American Revolution.

By the time houses were built in the 1790s, the largely Scots-Irish population had increased. They were mostly yeomen farmers who had moved into the backcountry where land was more available. They were served by the Wilderness Road which brought traders to the area. After Scott County was formed in 1814, the first court took place in 1815.

The first public schools were not established here until 1870, years after the American Civil War and during the Reconstruction era in Virginia and other former Confederate states.[5] The wealthy planters of Virginia paid for their own children's education but nothing for the rest of the white people.

Geography

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Fall foliage at Natural Tunnel State Park in Scott County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 539 square miles (1,400 km2), of which 536 square miles (1,390 km2) is land and 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6] Scott County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,[7] and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.[8]

Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Major highways

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18204,263—
18305,72434.3%
18407,30327.6%
18509,82934.6%
186012,07222.8%
187013,0368.0%
188017,23332.2%
189021,69425.9%
190022,6944.6%
191023,8144.9%
192024,7764.0%
193024,181−2.4%
194026,98911.6%
195027,6402.4%
196025,813−6.6%
197024,376−5.6%
198025,0682.8%
199023,204−7.4%
200023,4030.9%
201023,177−1.0%
202021,576−6.9%
2023 (est.)21,433[9]−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[15]

2020 census

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Scott County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 22,585 20,528 97.45% 95.14%
Black or African American alone (NH) 135 134 0.58% 0.62%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 48 26 0.21% 0.12%
Asian alone (NH) 35 20 0.15% 0.09%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 2 0.00% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 3 28 0.01% 0.13%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 137 583 0.59% 2.70%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 234 255 1.01% 1.18%
Total 23,177 21,576 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010 Census

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As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 23,177 people living in the county. 97.9% were White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% of some other race and 0.7 of two or more races. 1.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 23,403 people, 9,795 households, and 7,023 families living in the county. The population density was 44 inhabitants per square mile (17/km2). There were 11,355 housing units at an average density of 21 units per square mile (8.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.51% White, 0.59% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,795 households, out of which 27.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 26.10% 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 2.35 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county, 20.60% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.50% was from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,339, and the median income for a family was $33,163. Males had a median income of $28,328 versus $20,553 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,073. About 13.00% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.10% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education

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Public secondary schools

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Public intermediate schools

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Public primary schools

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Technical schools

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  • Scott County Career and Technical Center, Gate City

Private schools

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Former schools

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Communities

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Towns

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Unincorporated communities

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Notable people

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Politics

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United States presidential election results for Scott County, Virginia[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 9,392 84.79% 1,607 14.51% 78 0.70%
2020 9,063 83.38% 1,692 15.57% 114 1.05%
2016 8,247 81.65% 1,581 15.65% 272 2.69%
2012 7,439 74.45% 2,395 23.97% 158 1.58%
2008 6,980 70.68% 2,725 27.59% 170 1.72%
2004 6,479 65.00% 3,324 33.35% 164 1.65%
2000 5,535 59.29% 3,552 38.05% 248 2.66%
1996 4,086 47.66% 3,449 40.23% 1,038 12.11%
1992 4,515 46.59% 3,979 41.06% 1,196 12.34%
1988 4,986 56.76% 3,616 41.16% 183 2.08%
1984 5,804 59.10% 3,904 39.75% 113 1.15%
1980 4,744 50.54% 4,314 45.96% 329 3.50%
1976 4,313 45.43% 4,496 47.36% 685 7.22%
1972 5,125 66.18% 2,474 31.95% 145 1.87%
1968 5,345 53.54% 3,144 31.49% 1,495 14.97%
1964 4,533 48.90% 4,720 50.92% 16 0.17%
1960 4,936 56.45% 3,789 43.33% 19 0.22%
1956 5,116 58.44% 3,595 41.07% 43 0.49%
1952 4,703 61.13% 2,990 38.87% 0 0.00%
1948 3,520 56.12% 2,676 42.67% 76 1.21%
1944 3,089 51.63% 2,888 48.27% 6 0.10%
1940 2,982 54.58% 2,474 45.28% 8 0.15%
1936 2,046 49.09% 2,122 50.91% 0 0.00%
1932 1,673 43.56% 2,137 55.64% 31 0.81%
1928 2,916 55.32% 2,355 44.68% 0 0.00%
1924 2,666 54.28% 2,177 44.32% 69 1.40%
1920 2,449 59.34% 1,671 40.49% 7 0.17%
1916 1,743 56.65% 1,319 42.87% 15 0.49%
1912 557 18.80% 1,311 44.26% 1,094 36.93%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Scott County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Scott County, Virginia - Home". www.scottcountyva.com. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  4. ^ "Lord Dunmore's War | United States history | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  5. ^ An Early History: Scott County, Virginia Economic Development Authority Archived July 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "About the Appalachian Region". Appalachian Regional Commission. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  8. ^ Woodard, Colin (July 30, 2018). "The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line". New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  9. ^ "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  10. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Scott County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Scott County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
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36°43′N 82°36′W / 36.72°N 82.60°W / 36.72; -82.60

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