Pitt County Government

GEOGRAPHY
Pitt County covers 656 square miles of prime agricultural land in eastern North Carolina. The county is approximately 90 miles from the nearest beach, Atlantic Beach, NC and approximately 78 miles from our State Capital, Raleigh, NC. The county’s highest point is 126.4 feet above sea level, in the Northwest portion of the county. For a map of Pitt County, click here.

POPULATION AND HOUSING
According to the United States Census, the total population of Pitt County is 138,690. There are approximately 205 people per square mile in Pitt County. The county's largest city, Greenville, has a population of 60,476. The total number of housing units in Pitt County is 62,619.

For more geographic information click here.
Planning Department Annual Report .

HISTORY
Pitt County got its name from William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. William Pitt was an English statesman and orator, born in London, England, UK. He studied at Oxford University and in 1731, Pitt joined the army. Pitt led the young "Patriot" Whigs and in 1756 became secretary of state, where he was a pro-freedom speaker in British Colonial government. Pitt County was founded in 1760 under British Colonial government. Prior to 1760, there was one large county, Beaufort, which was split into five smaller counties, Pitt County being one of those smaller counties. Since 1970 Pitt County has operated under County Manager government.

COST OF LIVING
As per the ACCRA Survey for 1998 Second Quarter; the cost of living (with a 100% composite Index) for Greenville is 96.4%, as a comparison, Charlotte is at 99.1%. A break down in goods and services for cost of living is as follows:

Grocery- 97.8%
Housing- 91.1%
Utilities- 123.7%
Transportation- 88.7%
Health care- 93.5 %
Miscellaneous goods and services-96.5%
Link to ACCRA website

WEATHER
Pitt County has a relatively mild climate and experiences all four seasons each year. The average summer temperature in Pitt County is 84 degrees Fahrenheit, while the average winter temperature is 44 degrees Fahrenheit. Each year, the area experiences an average 48.24 inches of rainfall. The growing season in Pitt County lasts a full 215 days annually.

For a look at the local weather click here.
For nearby weather in Kinston, NC click here.

LAW ENFORCEMENT
The Pitt County Sheriff’s Department consists of 97 Deputies, or sworn law enforcement officers, and 117 Detention Officers and Jail Services employees working at the Pitt County Detention Center. Other law enforcement organizations in Pitt County include

The City of Greenville Police Department (252) 329-4317 - 160 sworn officers.
The Ayden Police Department (252) 746-7015 - 16 sworn officers.
The Farmville Police Department (252) 746-7015 - 17 sworn officers (full-time). Note: The Farmville Police Department does not provide a specific count of their auxiliary members.
The Winterville Police Department (252) 756-1105 - 15 sworn officers.

PARKS AND RECREATION
Pitt County’s Community Schools and Recreation Department provides a variety of athletic, recreational, and arts and crafts activities for all ages. Community Schools and Recreation is working closely with the Pitt County Planning Department to develop the Rails to Trails program, which will convert abandoned rail paths in the county to recreational trails. To contact Community Schools and Recreation, call or write to them at (252) 830-4217; 1717 W. 5th St. Greenville, NC 27834

The City of Greenville also operates a Recreation and Parks Department, for information on their programs and facilities, click here.
For more information go to Pitt County School Systems website, or visit the Neighborhood section of the Daily Reflector.

TRANSPORTATION
Pitt County is roughly 30 miles east of Interstate 95, which is a part of the largest state highway system in the nation. US Air Express serves the Pitt-Greenville Airport daily with connecting flights to Raleigh-Durham International and Charlotte Douglas International. The County has two railroads that operate seven days a week, and is approximately two hours drive from three deep water ports. To view a transportation map of Pitt County, click here.

MUNICIPALITIES
Of the 126,263 people that live in Pitt County, 74,575 people live in the County’s ten municipalities. Those municipalities range from Falkland with 118 people to the County Seat, Greenville, which contains 56,788 people. For more information on these municipalities, click here.