Chowan County is a county in North Carolina, United States, on the Albemarle Sound in the northeastern corner of the state. It had a population of 13,708 at the 2020 census and covers 233.65 square miles (605.2 km2), of which 172.66 square miles are land, centred near 36°08′N 76°36′W.
Edenton is the county seat, and its postal code is 27932. The county has one incorporated town, one other post-office community, and several unincorporated places and beach communities spread across four townships. Chowan sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Chowan County
Chowan County has one incorporated town, Edenton, plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, beach subdivisions, and rural crossroads. Places marked CDP are census-designated places with their own population counts; Unincorp. covers everything else, from waterfront subdivisions to farm crossroads with no legal boundary.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edenton | City · seat | Edenton | 4,392 | 27932 |
| Arrowhead Beach | CDP | Yeopim | 598 | 27932 |
| Cape Colony | CDP | Yeopim | 587 | 27932 |
| Chowan Beach | CDP | Yeopim | 228 | 27932 |
| Tyner | Unincorp. | Upper | — | 27980 |
| Rockyhock | Unincorp. | Middle | — | 27932 |
| Center Hill | Unincorp. | Middle | — | 27932 |
| Hancock | Unincorp. | Upper | — | 27932 |
| Ryland | Unincorp. | Upper | — | 27932 |
| Cannon Ferry | Unincorp. | Middle | — | 27932 |
| Valhalla | Unincorp. | Yeopim | — | 27932 |
| Somerset | Unincorp. | Middle | — | 27932 |
| Greenfield | Unincorp. | Middle | — | 27932 |
| Macedonia | Unincorp. | Middle | — | 27932 |
| Mount Rose | Unincorp. | Upper | — | 27980 |
| Saint Johns | Unincorp. | Edenton | — | 27932 |
| Nixons Beach | Unincorp. | Yeopim | — | 27932 |
| Barber | Unincorp. | Upper | — | 27980 |
Some old maps show “Chowan” itself as a listed place; this refers to the general Chowan River vicinity rather than a distinct community, and is omitted here. A handful of farm-crossroads names from older gazetteers (Gliden, Hutson Corner, Icaria, Mavaton, Mill Crossroads, Sign Pine, Cisco, Saint Mark MH Park) could not be corroborated against a current source and are left out; see notes.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Edenton | — | Edenton, Saint Johns |
| Middle | — | Rockyhock, Center Hill, Cannon Ferry, Somerset, Greenfield, Macedonia |
| Upper | — | Tyner, Hancock, Ryland, Mount Rose, Barber |
| Yeopim | — | Arrowhead Beach, Cape Colony, Chowan Beach, Valhalla, Nixons Beach |
ZIP Codes
- 27932 — Edenton (also serves most of the county, including the Yeopim and Middle township communities)
- 27980 — Tyner (also serves Barber and Mount Rose)
Chowan County has only two ZIP codes; nearly all rural addresses use the Edenton 27932 code.
Geography
Chowan County has the smallest land area of any county in North Carolina, wedged into the neck of land between the Chowan River and the Albemarle Sound. Roughly a quarter of the county’s total area is water. The land is flat coastal plain, drained by Rockyhock Creek and several sound-side creeks, with beach communities lining the Albemarle Sound shoreline.
Chowan County borders Hertford County to the northwest, Gates County to the north, Perquimans County to the east, Albemarle Sound and Tyrrell County to the southeast, Washington County to the south across the sound, and Bertie County to the west across the Chowan River.
Demographics
Chowan County had 13,708 residents at the 2020 census, a small decline from 2010. Edenton is by far the largest community, home to roughly a third of the county’s population; the Yeopim-township beach CDPs of Arrowhead Beach and Cape Colony are the next largest concentrations, mostly waterfront subdivisions rather than towns. Countywide median household income runs well below the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting the rural, agricultural character of most of the county outside Edenton. Population density is about 79 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — soybeans, corn, peanuts, and cotton on the flat coastal-plain fields north and west of Edenton — remains a core part of the county’s economy, alongside commercial fishing on the Albemarle Sound. Edenton’s historic waterfront downtown, one of the best-preserved colonial-era town centers in North Carolina, draws tourism tied to its 18th-century courthouse and homes. Vidant Chowan Hospital and Chowan County Schools are among the largest local employers. Edenton hosts an annual Colonial Christmas celebration.
History
Chowan was organized in 1670 as Shaftesbury Precinct, one of the earliest units of government in the Albemarle region, and was renamed Chowan Precinct before becoming a county in 1739 — making it one of North Carolina’s oldest counties. The name comes from the Chowanoke people, whose territory once covered the Chowan River basin. Edenton, founded in the 1710s, served briefly as North Carolina’s colonial capital and hosted the “Edenton Tea Party” of 1774, an early organized women’s political protest against British taxation.
Getting There
US 17 runs through Edenton as the county’s main north-south highway, with NC 32, NC 37, and NC 94 connecting outlying communities.
- Elizabeth City, NC — 22 miles northeast
- Windsor, NC (Bertie County seat) — 20 miles west
- Hertford, NC (Perquimans County seat) — 13 miles east
- Norfolk, VA — about 65 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Norfolk International Airport in Virginia; a small general-aviation field, Northeastern Regional Airport, serves Edenton directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chowan County?
It is in the northeastern corner of North Carolina, on the Albemarle Sound between the Chowan River and Perquimans County.
What is the population of Chowan County?
13,708 at the 2020 census.
How big is Chowan County?
233.65 square miles (605.2 km2), of which about a quarter is water — the smallest land area of any North Carolina county.
What is the county seat of Chowan County?
Edenton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Chowan County?
Edenton is the only incorporated town; the rest of the county is made up of unincorporated communities and a handful of census-designated beach communities.
What ZIP codes are in Chowan County?
27932 (Edenton) and 27980 (Tyner).
Why is Edenton historically significant?
It briefly served as North Carolina’s colonial capital and was the site of the 1774 Edenton Tea Party, one of the first organized political protests by American women.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.