Oak Ridge, North Carolina

Oak Ridge is a town in northwestern Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,988 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the US Census Bureau indicated that the population had risen to 6,185.^[3] Oak Ridge is approximately eight miles northwest of Greensboro, North Carolina's third-largest city, and it is a part of the Piedmont Triad urban area.

History

The town is home to Oak Ridge Military Academy (ORMA), a private, coed, college-preparatory military boarding school. Founded in 1852, it is the third-oldest military school in the nation still in operation, and it is the official military school of North Carolina, as designated by the state legislature.

Until the late 1990s, the Oak Ridge area was mostly rural farmland with numerous tobacco farms. However, since its incorporation as a town in 1998, Oak Ridge has seen rapid growth in its population. Many of the area's farms have been sold to developers and turned into upper-class housing developments, and several shopping centers have been built along the NC 68 and Oak Ridge Road NC 150 intersection, near the military academy.

Each Easter weekend from 1945-2013, the community hosted a popular horse show.^[4]

The Jesse Benbow House II, Guilford Mill, and Oak Ridge Military Academy Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[5]

Geography

Oak Ridge is located at 36°10′1″N 79°58′57″W / 36.16694°N 79.98250°W / 36.16694; -79.98250 (36.166944, -79.982577).^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.7 square miles (38 km²), of which, 14.7 square miles (38 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) of it (0.27%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	161		—
2000	3,988		—
2010	6,185		55.1%
Est. 2014	6,604	^[7]	6.8%
U.S. Decennial Census^[8]

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 3,988 people, 1,382 households, and 1,173 families residing in the town. The population density was 271.9 people per square mile (105.0/km²). There were 1,462 housing units at an average density of 99.7 per square mile (38.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.48% White, 4.21% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 1,382 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.4% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.1% were non-families. 11.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $74,609, and the median income for a family was $82,070. Males had a median income of $56,250 versus $35,952 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,346. About 2.2% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Samuel Bason, attended the military academy in Oak Ridge prior to his World War I service; a Yanceyville banker, businessman and state senator^[9]
Dale Earnhardt, JR, NASCAR driver, attended the military academy in Oak Ridge prior to his racing career.
Chris Daughtry, contestant from American Idol, singer of American rock band Daughtry, known for the hit songs "It's Not Over" and "Home" and Kevin Harvick, NASCAR driver of the #4 Budweiser Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing, called Oak Ridge home until 2014.

References

1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
↑ "Community Facts - Oak Ridge town, North Carolina". American FactFinder, 2010 Census. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
↑ "Horseshow suspended for 2013 -Committee to look into returning show to Oak Ridge". Northwest Observer. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
↑ Staff (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ Jeannie D. Whitlow with Carolyn Bason Long (1985). "Caswell County Family Tree". The Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina on wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.

External links

Official website
"Oak Ridge Historic District Guidelines: Design Guidelines Handbook" (PDF). Town of Oak Ridge, North Carolina. March 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.

Municipalities and communities of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States

County seat: Greensboro

Cities	Archdale‡ Burlington‡ Greensboro High Point‡

Towns	Gibsonville‡ Jamestown Kernersville‡ Oak Ridge Pleasant Garden Sedalia Stokesdale Summerfield Whitsett

CDPs	Forest Oaks Julian McLeansville

Unincorporated communities	Browns Summit Climax Colfax Monticello

Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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