2013-07-26



The Henderson County Courthouse, pictured in August 2012. Katie Bailey/Carolina Public Press

Inside WNC is a permanent feature from Carolina Public Press that profiles each of the 18 westernmost counties of North Carolina. This is your guide, including direct links, to elected officials, key agencies and departments, plus information on the county’s wages, housing, education and more.



Henderson County, N.C., map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, via Wikipedia.

Henderson County

Geography and Population

Henderson County is bordered by Buncombe County to the north, by Rutherford and Polk counties to the east, South Carolina to the south, Transylvania County to the west and Transylvania County to the northwest.

 



Map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau

U.S. Census Bureau maps

Land area in square miles, 2010: 373.07

Persons per square mile, 2010: 286.1

Population, 2012 estimate: 108,266

American Indian or Alaska Native, alone (2012): 0.6 percent

Asian, alone (2012): 1.1 percent

Black or African American, alone (2012): 3.2 percent

Hispanic or Latino (2012): 10 percent

White non-Hispanic (2012): 84 percent

Two or more races (2012): 1.6 percent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

U.S., State and Local Officials, Key Agencies

U.S. elected officials

U.S. Senate
Sen. Richard Burr (R)

Washington address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone: (202) 224-3154

Fax: (202) 228-2981
Email contact form

Asheville address: Federal Building, 151 Patton Ave., Suite 204

Asheville, N.C. 28801

Phone: (828) 350-2437

Fax: (828) 350-2439

Information on Burr’s support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us

Sen. Kay Hagan (D)

Washington address: 521 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone: (202) 224-6342

Fax: (202) 228-2563
Email contact form

Asheville address: 82 Patton Ave., Suite 635

Asheville, N.C. 28801

Phone:  (828) 257-6510

Fax: (828) 257-6514

Information on Hagan’s support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us

U.S. House: 11th Congressional District
Rep. Mark Meadows (R)

Washington address: 1516 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

Phone: (202) 225-6401
Email contact form

Hendersonville address: 200 N. Grove St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 693-5660

Information on Meadows’ support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us

N.C. elected officials

N.C. Senate District 48
Sen. Tom Apodaca (R)

Address: N.C. Senate

16 W. Jones St., Room 2010

Raleigh, N.C. 27601-2808

Phone: (919) 733-5745

Email: Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net

N.C. House District 113
Rep. Chris Whitmire (R)

Address: N.C. House of Representatives

300 N. Salisbury St., Room 537

Raleigh, N.C. 27603-5925

Phone: (919) 715-4466

Email: Chris.Whitmire@ncleg.net

N.C. House District 117
Rep. Chuck McGrady (R)

Address: N.C. House of Representatives

300 N. Salisbury St., Room 419B

Raleigh, N.C. 27603-5925

Phone: (919) 733-5956

Email: Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net

County Officials and Agencies

Henderson County Commissioners

Chairman: Charlie Messer

Address: 1 Historic Courthouse Square, Suite 1

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-4808

Email: cmesser@hendersoncountync.org

County Manager: Steve Wyatt

Address: 1 Historic Courthouse Square, Suite 2

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-4809

Email: swyatt@hendersoncountync.org

Sheriff: Charles S. McDonald

Address: Henderson County Sheriff’s Office

100 N. Grove St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-4596

Email: sheriffmcdonald@hendersoncountync.org

Henderson County Department of Social Services

Director: Liston Smith

Address: 1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 300

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-5500

Email: smithlb@hendersoncountydss.org

Henderson County Department of Public Health

Health Director: Tom Bridges

Address: 1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 692-4223

Email: tbridges@hendersoncountync.org

Henderson County is a member of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, which also includes Buncombe, Madison and Transylvania counties.

County Seat

 

Hendersonville City Hall, pictured in August 2012. Katie Bailey/Carolina Public Press

Hendersonville

Population (2010): 13,137

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

City Government Office Address: 145 Fifth Avenue E., Hendersonville, N.C. 28792-4328

Hendersonville City Council

Mayor: Barbara Volk

Address: 145 Fifth Ave. E.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792-4328

Phone: (828) 697-3000

Email: bvolk@cityofhendersonville.org

City Manager: John Connet

Address: 145 Fifth Ave. E.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792-4328

Phone: (828) 697-3000

Email: jconnet@cityofhendersonville.org

Chief of Police: Herbert Blake

Address: Hendersonville Police Department

145 Fifth Ave. E.

Hendersonville, NC 28792-4394

Phone: (828) 697-3031

Email: hblake@cityofhendersonville.org

Law Enforcement Agencies

Henderson County Sheriff’s Office

Address: 100 N. Grove St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-4596

Email: sheriffmcdonald@hendersoncountync.org

Hendersonville Police Department

Address: 145 Fifth Ave. E.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792-4394

Phone: (828) 697-3025

Email: hblake@cityofhendersonville.org

Voter Information

Henderson County Board of Elections

Director: Beverly W. Cunningham

Address: 75 E. Central St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-4970

Email: henderson.boe@ncsbe.gov

Chairman: Tom Wilson

Address: 75 E. Central St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 697-4970

Email: henderson.boe@ncsbe.gov

Court System

Judicial District 29B

200 N. Grove St., Suite 163

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 694-4100

Email: n/a

Clerk of Superior Court: Kimberly Gasperson-Justice

Phone: (828) 694-4100

Email: n/a

District Attorney Greg Newman

Phone:  (828) 694-4200

Email: n/a

Economy and Employment

Unemployment rate, May 2013: 6.4 percent

Unemployment rate, May 2012: 7.1 percent

Source: N.C. Department of Commerce-Labor and Economic Analysis Division

Top three industries, by employment (2011, most current):

Health care and social assistance: 6,329

Manufacturing: 5,709

Retail trade: 4,829

Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau

Largest Employer (Fourth quarter of 2012, most current): Henderson County Board of Public Education

Source: N.C. Department of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce, Tourism, Economic Development

Henderson County Chamber of Commerce

Executive Director: Robert R. Williford

Address: 204 Kanuga Road

Hendersonville, N.C.  28739

Phone: (828) 692-1413

Email: bob@hendersoncountychamber.org

Henderson County Tourism Development Authority

Address: 201 S. Main St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 693-9708 or (800) 828-4244

Email: n/a

Wages, Housing and Education

Per capita money income in the past 12 months (2011 dollars), 2007-2011: $27,175

Persons below poverty level 2007-2011: 12.6 percent

Median household income 2007-2011: $ 47,371

Median value of owner-occupied housing units 2007-2011: $190,700

High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-2011: 87.2 percent

Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-2011: 27.5 percent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Number of homeless (January 2012 point-in-time count): 55

Source: North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Education

Henderson County Public Schools

Four-year cohort high school graduation rates, as of September 2012: 84.9 percent

Source: N.C. Department of Public Instruction

Henderson County Board of Public Education

Address: 414 Fourth Ave. W.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28739-4261

Phone: (828) 697-4733

Email:  n/a

Board of Public Education Chairman: Ervin Bazzle

Address: Henderson County Public Schools

414 Fourth Ave. W.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28739-4261

Phone: (828) 697-4733

Email:  n/a

School Superintendent: David L. Jones

Address:  Henderson County Public Schools

414 Fourth Ave. W.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28739-4261

Phone: (828) 697-4733

Email: n/a

Higher Education*

Blue Ridge Community College

Address: 180 W. Campus Dr.

Flat Rock, N.C. 28731

Phone: (828) 694-1700

Email: n/a

Total enrollment: 2,501 (according to National Center for Education Statistics)

Top Healthcare Providers*

Blue Ridge Community Health Services

Address: 2579 Chimney Rock Road

Hendersonville, N.C. 28793

Phone: (828) 692-4289

Email: n/a

Henderson County Department of Public Health

Health Director: Tom Bridges

Address: 1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 692-4223

Email: tbridges@hendersoncountync.org

Pardee Hospital

Address: 800 N. Justice St.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28791

Phone: (866) 790-9355

Email: info@pardeehospital.org

HCAHPS Patient Perceptions Survey 4/2011-3/2012 rankings

Rate 9 or 10 Overall:  69 percent

Always Clean and Quiet: 66.5 percent

Park Ridge Health

Address: 100 Hospital Dr.

Hendersonville, N.C. 28792

Phone: (828) 684-8501

Email: info@parkridgehealth.org

HCAHPS Patient Perceptions Survey 4/2011-3/2012 rankings

Rate 9 or 10 Overall:  78 percent

Always Clean and Quiet: 74 percent

Crime and Law Enforcement

Crime Rate Per 100,000 (2011): 2,331.9

Violent Crime Rate: 138.1

Property Crime Rate: 2,193.8

Number of registered sex offenders: 117

Source: N.C. Department of Justice

*Listings are for entities headquartered in the county and do not include satellites, branches or other service information for others with operations in the county.

Contributing Editor Kathleen O. Davis supplied additional research to this report.

This page will be updated regularly. Contact us with updates or questions.

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