Fountain, North Carolina

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Fountain is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 533 at the 2000 census. The town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.

[edit] Geography

Fountain is located at 35°40′25″N, 77°38′20″W (35.673637, -77.638959)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.5 km² (1.0 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 533 people, 227 households, and 155 families residing in the town. The population density was 212.2/km² (550.9/mi²). There were 246 housing units at an average density of 97.9/km² (254.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 48.97% White, 50.47% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.19% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.

There were 227 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 25.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 70.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 65.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $17,656, and the median income for a family was $26,042. Males had a median income of $27,292 versus $19,643 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,944. About 35.6% of families and 36.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.9% of those under age 18 and 30.2% of those age 65 or over.

Although poverty is quite abundant in this town, the town is noted for its collections of what is termed as "new" and "old" money. These sources of money are found within families that have populated the town since its founding in 1900. Among the richest "old money" families in the town are the Butterfields (with links to the politically ambitious Jean Butterfield), Trevathans (who own an estimated 32% of the realty and land in the town), and the Whitfields (that made their money by bringing a number of now defunct businesses to the area).

Sources of "new money" of the town of Fountian are the Pittmans and the Mastersons. Some claim that economic stability is due to the influx new money. It is not known how long economic stability will last in the area without another influx of economic recovery and source of money. Some, however, believe that this "economic stability" is no more than a theory of over-inflated local egoes, who are attempting to aggrandize their position within the town and make people believe that the town is dependent on them.

Elections will be held this year for another mayor, and economic recovery is slated to be the deciding factor in determining the winner.