Boone is a town located in the northern mountains of North Carolina and in
Watauga County, North Carolina, for which it is the county seat6 and
market town. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of
13,472.
Boone has a small, college-town population whose political and social
views range from extreme conservativism to extreme liberalism. Often the
sparks of controversy flame brightly in this little town.
Boone acquires its name from the famous Daniel Boone, who camped on
several occasions at a site generally agreed to be within the present city
limits. The truth about this is another spark of controversy the town
enjoys.
The mountains around Boone add a picturesque quality to the town. One
may drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway very easily from Boone.
Boone is the site of the Appalachian State University (ASU), a branch of
the state university system, and offers a variety of tourist attractions
ranging from skiing to small amusement parks. A hospital, a retail mall,
and a small general aviation airstrip are located in Boone.
"Horn in the West", a dramatization of the life and times of Daniel Boone,
has been performed in an outdoor amphitheatre above the town every summer
since 1952. The original "Daniel Boone" was Ned Austin, whose "Hollywood
Star" stands on a pedestal on King Street downtown. The guitar player Doc
Watson also comes from the Boone area, as do many bluegrass musicians and
Appalachian storytellers.
Geography
Boone is located at 36°12'41" North, 81°40'7" West (36.211364,
-81.668657).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of
15.1 km˛ (5.8 mi˛). 15.1 km˛ (5.8 mi˛) of it is land and none of the area
is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 13,472 people, 4,374 households, and
1,237 families residing in the town. The population density is 890.7/km˛
(2,307.0/mi˛). There are 4,748 housing units at an average density of
313.9/km˛ (813.0/mi˛). The racial makeup of the town is 93.98% White,
3.42% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.05% Pacific
Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 1.64%
of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 4,374 households out of which 9.6% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 21.0% are married couples living together, 5.6%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 71.7% are non-families.
38.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.3% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size
is 1.97 and the average family size is 2.63.
In the town the population is spread out with 5.8% under the age of 18,
65.9% from 18 to 24, 12.1% from 25 to 44, 9.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 21 years. For every 100
females there are 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $20,541, and the median
income for a family is $49,762. Males have a median income of $28,060
versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the town is $12,256.
37.0% of the population and 9.2% of families are below the poverty line.
Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.3% are under the age of 18
and 9.1% are 65 or older.
Climate
While very cold in the winter compared lower parts of North Carolina,
Boone has a comfortable climate in the summer, usually in the low eighties
Fahrenheit.
