Jones County is a county in North Carolina, United States, on the coastal plain between New Bern and Jacksonville. It had a population of 9,172 at the 2020 census and covers 473.72 square miles (1,226.9 km2) centred near 35°02′N 77°22′W.
Trenton is the county seat, and its postal code is 28585. The county has three incorporated towns — Trenton, Pollocksville and Maysville — plus a handful of unincorporated communities and crossroads. Jones County sits in the Eastern time zone and is part of the New Bern, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Towns & Villages in Jones County
Jones County has three incorporated towns and a scatter of unincorporated communities, farm crossroads and landings along the Trent and White Oak rivers. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community or crossroads with no formal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | Town · seat | — | 28585 |
| Pollocksville | Town | — | 28573 |
| Maysville | Town | — | 28555 |
| Comfort | Unincorp. | — | 28522 |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chadwick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Combs Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Debruhls Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hargetts Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jones Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olivers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olivers Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perfection | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phillips Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pollocks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ravenswood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sassers Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Simmons Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Taylors Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tenmile Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wise Forks | Unincorp. | — | — |
Maysville straddles the Jones–Onslow county line; the figures above cover only its Jones County side. “Pollocks” and “Pollocksville” are two separate, long-standing names on record for the same stretch of the Trent River and are both kept here rather than merged.
Townships
Jones County is divided into seven townships used historically for elections and tax administration: Beaver Creek, Chinquapin, Cypress Creek, Pollocksville, Trenton, Tuckahoe and White Oak. Current population figures by township are not published by the Census Bureau, so they are omitted here rather than estimated.
ZIP Codes
- 28585 — Trenton
- 28573 — Pollocksville
- 28555 — Maysville (also serves the county’s southern communities)
- 28522 — Comfort (PO Box delivery only)
Most other unincorporated communities and crossroads use the ZIP of their nearest post office town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Jones County lies on North Carolina’s inner coastal plain, flat and low-lying, laced by the Trent River and White Oak River and their swampy tributaries. Of its 473.72 square miles, 471.39 square miles is land and 2.33 square miles is water. Much of the county’s south end sits inside the Croatan National Forest, and pocosin wetlands cover large stretches away from the two rivers.
Jones County borders Craven County to the north and northeast, Carteret County to the east, Onslow County to the south and southwest, Duplin County to the west and Lenoir County to the northwest.
Demographics
Jones County had 9,172 residents at the 2020 census, down from earlier decades, with a Census Bureau estimate of 9,575 for 2025. Maysville and Pollocksville are the county’s two largest communities outside Trenton. Jones County’s median household income runs well below the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting its small, rural tax base. Population density is roughly 19 people per square mile of land, among the lowest in eastern North Carolina.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and forestry anchor the local economy — row crops, hog and poultry operations, and timber from the Croatan National Forest and private pocosin land. Proximity to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in neighboring Onslow County and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Craven and Carteret counties means many residents commute to defense-related jobs. Trenton hosts the Jones County government complex and courthouse; hunting, fishing and boating on the Trent and White Oak rivers draw seasonal visitors.
History
Jones County was formed in 1779 from Craven County and named for Willie Jones, a Revolutionary War-era political leader and planter who opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Trenton has served as county seat since the county’s formation. Like much of the surrounding coastal plain, the county’s economy and settlement pattern were shaped for over a century by naval-stores production, timber and river commerce before shifting to row-crop and livestock agriculture in the 20th century.
Getting There
NC Highway 41 and NC Highway 58 cross the county and meet at Trenton; NC 17 runs along the eastern edge near the Carteret County line.
- New Bern — 20 miles northeast
- Jacksonville — 20 miles south
- Kinston — 25 miles northwest
- Morehead City — 30 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) in New Bern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Jones County, North Carolina?
It’s on the state’s inner coastal plain in eastern North Carolina, between New Bern and Jacksonville.
What is the population of Jones County?
9,172 people at the 2020 census, one of the least populous counties in North Carolina.
How big is Jones County?
473.72 square miles (1,226.9 km2), of which 471.39 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Jones County?
Trenton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Jones County?
Three incorporated towns — Trenton, Pollocksville and Maysville — plus about 20 unincorporated communities and crossroads.
What ZIP codes are in Jones County?
28585 (Trenton), 28573 (Pollocksville), 28555 (Maysville) and 28522 (Comfort, PO Box only).
What is Jones County named for?
Willie Jones, a Revolutionary War-era North Carolina political leader, when the county was formed in 1779.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.