Beaufort County Land and Farms

North Carolina’s Beaufort County land and farms are in the Coastal Plains with its entire eastern border lying along the Pamlico Sound. Land in Beaufort County is basically flat, and its historic town of Washington is located at the intersection of the Tar and Pamlico rivers. The county is comprised of 827 square miles and has a population of 47,000. US Highway 17 cuts through the county, making transportation of goods convenient for manufacturing, agriculture and other distribution. Farms cover approximately 140,000 acres of the land in Beaufort County of which 85% is used for crops and the remainder for livestock and poultry. Hunting and fishing are popular with bear, deer and turkey plentiful. Those who prefer fishing can dip a line in the search for shad, perch, red breast, black fish, pike pickerel, jack, rock, bass, trout and sturgeon. Beaufort County has a diversified economy, and its top employers include PCS Phosphate Company Inc., Vidant Medical Center and Austin Maintenance and Construction. The history of the region draws tourists from near and far. The town of Bath is the state’s oldest town, was its first capital and a port of entry during the 1700s. Beaufort County Schools provides K-12 public education, and Beaufort Community College offers higher education.