Castalia, North Carolina

Castalia (pronounced "Cas-tale-yuh"), is a town in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 268 at the 2010 census.

Castalia, North Carolina
Main Street in Castalia
Main Street in Castalia
Location in Nash County and the state of North Carolina.
Location in Nash County and the state of North Carolina.
Coordinates: 36°04′56″N 78°03′27″W / 36.08222°N 78.05750°W / 36.08222; -78.05750
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyNash
Area
 • Total
0.75 sq mi (1.95 km2)
 • Land0.75 sq mi (1.95 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation305 ft (93 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
264
 • Density350.60/sq mi (135.42/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
27816
Area code(s)919, 252
FIPS code37-10860[3]
GNIS feature ID2406235[2]

History

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Castalia developed in about 1850 and was incorporated as a town in 1873. The name was suggested by local educator R.D. Richardson in homage to the Castalian Spring in Greece.[4]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2), all land.

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880133
189015919.5%
19001632.5%
191021934.4%
192026320.1%
193029211.0%
194034116.8%
195042123.5%
1960267−36.6%
1970265−0.7%
198035835.1%
1990261−27.1%
200034030.3%
2010268−21.2%
2020264−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 340 people, 132 households, and 102 families residing in the town. The population density was 462.4 inhabitants per square mile (178.5/km2). There were 139 housing units at an average density of 189.0 per square mile (73.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 50.59% White, 48.24% African American, and 1.18% Hispanic or Latino or more races.

There were 132 households, out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $19,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,455. About 23.2% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.5% of those under age 18 and 37.5% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

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Castalia, being located in eastern North Carolina, has long hot humid summers, and winters which are short and mild by comparison to much of the rest of the country, with snow being a rarity. In Castalia, between 60 and 90 days per year are over 86 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Heat Zone Map published by the American Horticultural Society.[6] By comparison, the great majority of the upper midwest and northeast has less than 30 such days per year.[6] These hot days, combined with the South's high humidity, make it sweltering in the summer. The average daytime temperature is in the high 70s or above for at least 5 months out of the year (May through September).[7][8][9][10][11]

The following is the average weather for Castalia:

Climate data for Castalia, North Carolina
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 50
(10)
54
(12)
62
(17)
72
(22)
79
(26)
85
(29)
89
(32)
87
(31)
81
(27)
71
(22)
64
(18)
54
(12)
71
(22)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 29
(−2)
31
(−1)
38
(3)
47
(8)
55
(13)
64
(18)
68
(20)
67
(19)
61
(16)
48
(9)
40
(4)
31
(−1)
48
(9)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.05
(103)
3.62
(92)
4.28
(109)
2.86
(73)
4.32
(110)
3.39
(86)
4.05
(103)
3.84
(98)
3.70
(94)
2.76
(70)
3.03
(77)
2.99
(76)
42.89
(1,089)
Source: Weather.com[12]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Castalia, North Carolina
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ Fleming 1998, p. 13.
  5. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  6. ^ a b http://www.ahs.org/pdfs/05_heat_map.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ "PRISM Products". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010.
  8. ^ "PRISM Products". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010.
  9. ^ "PRISM Products". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010.
  10. ^ "PRISM Products". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010.
  11. ^ "PRISM Products". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010.
  12. ^ "Average Weather for Castalia, NC". The Weather Channel. 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2010.

Works cited

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