Rockingham County is a county in North Carolina, United States, on the Virginia state line north of Greensboro. It had a population of 91,096 at the 2020 census and covers 573 square miles (1,483 km2) centred near 36°23′N 79°47′W.
Wentworth is the county seat, and its postal code is 27375. The county has 6 incorporated cities and towns, several unincorporated communities, and 12 civil townships. Rockingham County is in the Eastern time zone; its FIPS county code is 37157.
Towns & Villages in Rockingham County
Rockingham County’s largest communities are the cities of Eden and Reidsville, joined by the towns of Madison, Mayodan, Stoneville and Stokesdale (whose corporate limits reach into the county from neighboring Guilford County). Wentworth, the seat, and several smaller communities are unincorporated. In the table below, “CDP” marks a Census Bureau-designated place with no municipal government; “Unincorp.” marks a rural community, crossroads or locale with a place name but no census population figure on record.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden | City | 15,238 | 27288 |
| Reidsville | City | 14,520 | 27320 |
| Madison | Town | 2,096 | 27025 |
| Mayodan | Town | 2,443 | 27027 |
| Stoneville | Town | 1,061 | 27048 |
| Stokesdale | Town | — | 27357 |
| Wentworth | CDP · seat | — | 27375 |
| Bethany | CDP | — | 27288 |
| Monroeton | CDP | — | 27320 |
| Oregon Hill | CDP | — | 27025 |
| Price | CDP | — | 27298 |
| Providence | CDP | — | 27343 |
| Ruffin | CDP | — | 27326 |
| Ayersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bakers Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bearslide | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beaver Island | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belmont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benaja | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bethlehem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cambridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carters Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dan River | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dan Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deep Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ellisboro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fitzgerald | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Foushee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gold Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Happy Home | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harrisons Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hickory Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kirkwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lawsonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leviva | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Matrimony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mayfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Piney Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasantville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Quesenbury | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sadler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Salem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sandy Cross | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sharps | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shiloh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stacey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stephens Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Williamsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wittys Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodbine | Unincorp. | — | — |
Stokesdale straddles the Rockingham–Guilford county line; most of the town and nearly all of its population lie in Guilford County, so no county-specific population figure is given here. Williamsburg is both a small crossroads community and the name of one of the county’s 12 civil townships — the two should not be confused.
ZIP Codes
- 27288 — Eden (also serves Bethany)
- 27320 — Reidsville (also serves Monroeton)
- 27025 — Madison (also serves Oregon Hill)
- 27027 — Mayodan
- 27048 — Stoneville
- 27357 — Stokesdale
- 27375 — Wentworth
- 27298 — Price
- 27343 — Providence
- 27326 — Ruffin
Most of the county’s small unincorporated communities receive mail through the nearest town’s post office and have no separate ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Rockingham County sits in the north-central Piedmont, where the Dan River and its tributary the Mayo River cross the Virginia line before turning south and east through the county. Land is gently rolling, cut by creek bottoms, and mostly given over to pasture, tobacco allotments turned hay and soybean ground, and second-growth pine and hardwood. About 1.2% of the county’s area is water.
Rockingham County borders Henry County, Virginia to the north-northwest and Pittsylvania County, Virginia to the north-northeast, with Caswell County to the east, Alamance County to the southeast, Guilford County to the south, Forsyth County to the southwest and Stokes County to the west.
Demographics
The county’s 91,096 residents at the 2020 census make it the largest county on North Carolina’s northern border west of the Triangle. Eden and Reidsville are its two largest communities, together home to roughly a third of the county’s population. Median household income in Rockingham County trails the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting the decline of the county’s historic textile and tobacco-manufacturing base. Population density is about 161 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Rockingham County’s economy grew up around textile mills in Eden (Fieldcrest Cannon/Karastan) and Reidsville (American Tobacco), and both cities are still working to redevelop former mill sites. Today the county’s largest employers include Rockingham County Schools, Cone Health-affiliated Morehead Memorial-area services in Eden, and a mix of warehousing and light manufacturing along the US 29/I-785 corridor. Rockingham Community College in Wentworth serves the county. The North Carolina Motor Speedway near Rockingham (in neighboring Richmond County, despite the name) is not in this county, but Rockingham County’s own racing legacy includes the Dan River-area dirt tracks and the annual Reidsville Depot Days festival downtown.
History
Rockingham County was formed in 1785 from Guilford County and named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, a British prime minister sympathetic to the American colonies. Wentworth, the county seat, takes its own name from the same marquess. The county’s economy was built on bright-leaf tobacco and, from the late 19th century, textile mills powered by the Dan and Smith rivers — the Fieldcrest Mills complex in Eden was for decades one of the region’s largest employers before textile manufacturing declined through the late 20th century.
Getting There
US 29 and Interstate 785 run north–south through the county’s eastern half, linking Reidsville to Greensboro; US 220 and Interstate 73 serve Eden in the west; US 158 and US 311 cross the county east–west.
- Greensboro — 25 miles south
- Danville, Virginia — 20 miles north
- Winston-Salem — 30 miles southwest
- Martinsville, Virginia — 25 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Rockingham County, North Carolina?
It is in the north-central Piedmont of North Carolina, on the Virginia state line north of Greensboro.
What is the population of Rockingham County?
91,096 at the 2020 census.
How big is Rockingham County?
573 square miles (1,483 km2), of which about 7 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Rockingham County?
Wentworth.
How many towns are in Rockingham County?
Six incorporated cities and towns — Eden, Reidsville, Madison, Mayodan, Stoneville and Stokesdale — plus Wentworth and several other unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Rockingham County?
Main ZIP codes include 27288 (Eden), 27320 (Reidsville), 27025 (Madison), 27027 (Mayodan), 27048 (Stoneville) and 27375 (Wentworth).
What is Rockingham County known for?
Its textile-mill history in Eden and Reidsville, tobacco farming, and its location on the Dan and Mayo rivers along the Virginia border.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.