Washington County is a county in North Carolina, United States, on the south shore of the Albemarle Sound in the state’s northeastern coastal plain. It had a population of 11,003 at the 2020 census and covers 421.91 square miles (1,092.7 km2) centred near 35°50′N 76°34′W.
Plymouth is the county seat, and its postal code is 27962. The county has one city, two towns and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities and mobile-home-park settlements, all in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Washington County
Washington County has three incorporated places — Plymouth (city, the county seat), Creswell and Roper (towns) — plus a long list of unincorporated communities scattered along the Scuppernong River, US 64 and the county’s back roads. «Unincorp.» below marks a rural community, crossroads or named mobile-home park with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth | City · seat | 3,320 | 27962 |
| Roper | Town | 485 | 27970 |
| Creswell | Town | — | 27928 |
| Albemarle Beach | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Beasley | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Blount | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Cherry | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Davenport Forks | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Galilee Mission | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Hinson | Unincorp. | — | 27928 |
| Hoke | Unincorp. | — | 27928 |
| Hopkins MH Park | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Macedonia | Unincorp. | — | 27928 |
| Mackeys | Unincorp. | — | 27970 |
| Mount Tabor | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Pea Ridge | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Pineridge | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Pleasant Grove | Unincorp. | — | 27970 |
| Ren | Unincorp. | — | 27928 |
| Sawyers MH Park | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Scuppernong | Unincorp. | — | 27928 |
| Skinnersville | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Snells MH Park | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
| Wenona | Unincorp. | — | 27970 |
| Westover | Unincorp. | — | 27962 |
ZIP Codes
- 27962 — Plymouth (also serves the eastern and central rural county, including Albemarle Beach, Skinnersville and Westover)
- 27928 — Creswell (also serves Scuppernong, Macedonia and Ren)
- 27970 — Roper (also serves Mackeys, Wenona and Pleasant Grove)
Washington County has no other post offices; every unincorporated community relies on one of these three ZIP codes for mail.
Geography
Washington County lies on the flat, low-lying Albemarle Sound side of North Carolina’s coastal plain. Its northern edge runs along the Albemarle Sound itself, and the Scuppernong River drains the county’s eastern half past Creswell into the sound. The southern part of the county holds Lake Phelps, a 16,600-acre natural lake inside Pettigrew State Park, and a large share of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, a pocosin wetland known for winter waterfowl and one of the East Coast’s largest black bear populations.
The county borders Bertie County to the northwest, Chowan County to the north, Perquimans County to the northeast (across the Albemarle Sound), Tyrrell County to the east, Hyde County to the southeast, Beaufort County to the southwest, and Martin County to the west.
Demographics
Washington County had 11,003 residents at the 2020 census. Plymouth, the county seat, is the largest community with 3,320 people, followed by Roper at 485. The county’s median household income runs well below the North Carolina median of $70,804, reflecting its rural, agriculture- and forestry-based economy. With 346.51 square miles of land, the county’s overall density is about 32 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Row-crop farming (corn, soybeans, cotton and wheat) and commercial forestry drive the local economy, alongside seafood harvesting from the Albemarle Sound. Plymouth is home to a large Domtar paper mill, historically one of the region’s biggest employers, and to Washington County’s hospital and public schools. Pettigrew State Park and the Pocosin Lakes refuge draw hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers, and the county promotes itself regionally for black bear viewing each fall.
History
Washington County was formed in 1799 from the western part of Tyrrell County, and named for George Washington — one of the first U.S. counties named for the first president after his death that year. Plymouth, on the Roanoke River, was a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War and the site of the Battle of Plymouth in April 1864, when Confederate forces recaptured the town in one of the war’s few successful combined-arms assaults involving an ironclad ram, the CSS Albemarle.
Getting There
US 64 crosses the county east-west through Plymouth and Creswell, linking the area to Raleigh to the west and the Outer Banks to the east; NC 32, NC 37, NC 45, NC 94, NC 99, NC 149 and NC 308 serve the smaller communities.
- Williamston — 22 miles west
- Elizabeth City — 30 miles northeast
- Edenton — 25 miles north
- Greenville — 45 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Washington County, North Carolina?
It sits on the south shore of the Albemarle Sound in the northeastern coastal plain, between Tyrrell and Martin counties.
What is the population of Washington County?
11,003 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Washington County?
421.91 square miles (1,092.7 km2), of which 346.51 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Washington County?
Plymouth is the county seat.
How many towns are in Washington County?
One city (Plymouth) and two towns (Creswell and Roper), plus roughly two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Washington County?
27962 (Plymouth), 27928 (Creswell) and 27970 (Roper).
What is Lake Phelps?
A 16,600-acre natural lake inside Pettigrew State Park, in the southern part of the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.