Rowan County, North Carolina
Rowan County | |
|---|---|
| County of Rowan | |
Rowan County Courthouse in Salisbury | |
| Motto: "Be an original." | |
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina | |
North Carolina's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 35°38′N 80°31′W / 35.64°N 80.52°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| Established | March 27, 1753 |
| Named after | Matthew Rowan |
| Seat | Salisbury |
| Largest community | Salisbury |
| Area | |
• Total | 523.95 sq mi (1,357.0 km2) |
| • Land | 511.61 sq mi (1,325.1 km2) |
| • Water | 12.34 sq mi (32.0 km2) 2.36% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 146,875 |
• Estimate (2023) | 151,661 |
| • Density | 280/sq mi (110/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Website | www |
Rowan County (/roʊˈæn/ roh-AN), officially the County of Rowan, is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 146,875. Its county seat, Salisbury, is the oldest continuously populated European-American town in the western half of North Carolina. Rowan County is located northeast of Charlotte, and is considered part of the Charlotte metropolitan area.
Established in 1753 from the upper part of Anson County, it was named after acting North Carolina governor Matthew Rowan. Originally a vast territory with unlimited western boundaries, Rowan County was reduced in size to 524 square miles (1,360 km2) after several counties were formed from it in the 18th and 19th centuries.