[Chatham County]

leah_friedman — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:32:07 -0400

Chatham County is among the fastest growing areas in the Triangle. The population of about 60,000 is expected to increase in the next few years, particularly in the northeast part of the 707-square mile county between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, the county seat. More than 15,000 new homes have been approved for construction.

If you want to know what Chathamites are talking about, you have to check out the Chatham Chatlist, an e-mail list server run by a county resident. More than 2,500 county residents log in every day.

What are the local attractions?

Chatham is home to a large number of organic farms, artists and green businesses, like Piedmont Biofuels. Chatham is also home to three historic districts in Pittsboro, Goldston, and Siler City. For a complete list of local attractions, look here.

What's the history?

Chatham County was formed in 1771 from Orange County. Located in the central section of the state, it is bounded by Wake, Harnett, Lee, Moore, Randolph, Alamance, Orange, and Durham counties. It was named for William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (1708-1778), who vigorously opposed the harsh measures taken in England with regard to the American colonies in 1774-75 and who advocated cessations of hostilities in 1777.

Who runs the town?

Chatham is governed by a F ive-Member Board of Commissioners. The County Manager runs the day-to-day operations of government. The Commissioners are elected at large but must reside within individual districts.

Who lives here?

The median age in Hillsborough was 38.8 as of the 2000 census. The racial breakdown is 74.9 percent white, 17.1 percent black, and .6 percent Asian. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 9.6 percent of the population. Bachelors degrees or higher are held by 27.6 percent of the population over 25.

What about public safety?

Police services are provided by the Chatham County Sheriff's Department. Here are the crime statistics for 2006 (source: SBI):

Murder: 2

Rape: 4

Robbery: 17

Aggravated Assault: 94

Burglary: 384

Larcenies: 428

Motor Vehicle Theft: 86

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[Chatham County]