Elizabeth City, North Carolina

For the incorporation of the Virginia Colony, see Elizabeth City (Virginia Company).
Not to be confused with Elizabethtown, North Carolina.

Elizabeth City, North Carolina
City
Elizabeth City facing the Pasquotank River
Elizabeth City facing the Pasquotank River
Flag of Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Flag
Official seal of Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Harbor of Hospitality,[1] Best City in the 252, Betsy City, E.C., Queen of the Albemarle, River City
Location in Pasquotank County in the state of North Carolina
Location in Pasquotank County in the state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 36°17′39″N 76°14′16″W / 36.29417°N 76.23778°W / 36.29417; -76.23778
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesPasquotank, Camden
Government
 • MayorEdward Kirk Rivers
Area
[2]
 • City11.71 sq mi (30.32 km2)
 • Land11.71 sq mi (30.32 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[3]
10 ft (3 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City18,631
 • Density1,591.58/sq mi (614.50/km2)
 • Metro
63,270
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
27906, 27907, 27909
Area code252
FIPS code37-20580[4]
GNIS feature ID2403551[3]
Websitewww.cityofec.com

Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank and Camden counties, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 18,629.[5] Elizabeth City is the county seat and most populous city of Pasquotank County.[6] It is the cultural, economic and educational hub of the sixteen-county Historic Albemarle region of northeastern North Carolina.[7]

Elizabeth City is the center of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area, with a population of 64,094 as of 2010. It is part of the larger Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area.[8] The city is the economic center of the region, as well as home to many historic sites and cultural traditions.

Marketed as the "Harbor of Hospitality", Elizabeth City has had a long history of shipping due to its location at a narrowed bend of the Pasquotank River.[9] Founded in 1794, Elizabeth City prospered early on from the Dismal Swamp Canal as a mercantile city. Later it developed industry and other commercial focus. While Elizabeth City still retains extensive waterfront property, it is linked to neighboring counties and cities by contemporary highways and bridges to support other transportation. It hosts one of the largest United States Coast Guard bases in the nation.

  1. ^ "Harbor of Hospitality". USPTO. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  2. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Elizabeth City, North Carolina
  4. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  5. ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. ^ "City Data". City Data. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  8. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Elizabeth City, NC Micro Area; North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference cityofec.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).