Wayne County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Wayne County: 26 seats on 7 elected bodies. 8 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of County Commissioners
Wayne County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Barbara Aycock Republican source |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Antonio Williams Democratic source |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Bevan Foster Democratic source |
| County Commissioner, District 4 | Tim Harrell Republican source |
| County Commissioner, District 5 | Chris Gurley Republican source |
| County Commissioner, District 6 | Joe Daughtery Republican source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court | Julie Whitfield Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Register of Deeds | Tina Arnder Republican source | |
| Sheriff | Larry M. Pierce Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
School Board
Wayne County Board of Education
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Education Member, At-Large | Tommy Sanders source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 1 | Chris West source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 2 | Len Henderson source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 3 | Bridgette Cowan source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 4 | Willie R. (Bill) Joyner II source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 5 | Craig Foucht source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 6 | Wade Leatham source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
Cities and towns
Special districts
Wayne Soil and Water Conservation District
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Ronald W. Parks source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Phil Yelverton source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Thomas Uzzell source |
How many local governments Wayne County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 19 local governments in Wayne County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships | 7 | 1 |
| School districts (school boards) | 0 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 11 | 1 |
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (2 in Wayne County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Wayne County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 13.7% · White 50.2% · Black 29.6% · Asian 1.2% · Other or more than one race 5.4% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Wayne County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.3% | 1,618 | 46,815 | 48,433 |
| August 2026 | 3.9% | 1,866 | 46,148 | 48,014 |
| July 2026 | 4.1% | 1,945 | 45,910 | 47,855 |
| June 2026 | 3.7% | 1,808 | 46,634 | 48,442 |
| May 2026 | 3.7% | 1,782 | 46,705 | 48,487 |
| April 2026 | 3.6% | 1,756 | 46,872 | 48,628 |
| March 2026 | 3.6% | 1,786 | 47,422 | 49,208 |
| February 2026 | 4.0% | 1,977 | 47,034 | 49,011 |
| January 2026 | 4.3% | 2,095 | 46,902 | 48,997 |
| December 2025 | 3.6% | 1,772 | 48,106 | 49,878 |
| November 2025 | 4.0% | 1,968 | 47,522 | 49,490 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.9% | 1,912 | 47,417 | 49,329 |
| August 2025 | 4.4% | 2,157 | 47,107 | 49,264 |
| July 2025 | 4.1% | 2,063 | 47,710 | 49,773 |
| June 2025 | 4.0% | 2,015 | 48,069 | 50,084 |
| May 2025 | 3.8% | 1,886 | 48,014 | 49,900 |
| April 2025 | 3.5% | 1,752 | 48,288 | 50,040 |
| March 2025 | 3.8% | 1,917 | 48,115 | 50,032 |
| February 2025 | 3.9% | 1,935 | 47,886 | 49,821 |
| January 2025 | 3.9% | 1,935 | 47,968 | 49,903 |
| December 2024 | 3.4% | 1,689 | 48,131 | 49,820 |
| November 2024 | 3.7% | 1,847 | 47,750 | 49,597 |
| October 2024 | 3.4% | 1,711 | 48,822 | 50,533 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 3.9% | 1,937 | 47,837 | 49,774 |
| 2024 | 3.7% | 1,876 | 48,765 | 50,641 |
| 2023 | 3.7% | 1,858 | 48,824 | 50,682 |
| 2022 | 4.0% | 1,991 | 47,993 | 49,984 |
| 2021 | 5.0% | 2,484 | 46,733 | 49,217 |
| 2020 | 6.4% | 3,099 | 45,669 | 48,768 |
| 2019 | 4.0% | 2,032 | 48,426 | 50,458 |
| 2018 | 4.3% | 2,205 | 48,678 | 50,883 |
| 2017 | 5.0% | 2,584 | 49,064 | 51,648 |
| 2016 | 5.8% | 3,006 | 48,760 | 51,766 |
Crime reported in Wayne County
By police agency (5)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 211 | 1,102 | 78,700 |
| Goldsboro Police Department | 2025 | 384 | 1,366 | 34,664 |
| Fremont Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 1,266 |
| Walnut Creek Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 867 |
| Pikeville Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 677 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (5), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County Sheriff's Office | 127 | 8 | 78,700 |
| Goldsboro Police Department | 77 | 18 | 34,664 |
| Walnut Creek Police Department | 3 | 2 | 1,109 |
| Pikeville Police Department | 4 | 0 | 733 |
| Fremont Police Department | 3 | 0 | 1,211 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 214 | 1.84 | 28 | 5 |
| 2024 | 211 | 1.82 | 27 | 5 |
| 2023 | 207 | 1.83 | 83 | 5 |
| 2022 | 211 | 1.87 | 100 | 5 |
| 2021 | 211 | 1.80 | 19 | 5 |
| 2020 | 226 | 1.91 | 20 | 5 |
| 2019 | 237 | 2.00 | 23 | 5 |
| 2018 | 230 | 1.92 | 20 | 5 |
| 2017 | 225 | 1.88 | 17 | 5 |
| 2016 | 217 | 1.81 | 117 | 5 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court?
- Julie Whitfield (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Wayne County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Wayne County Register of Deeds?
- Tina Arnder (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Wayne County, North Carolina.
- Who is the Wayne County Sheriff?
- Larry M. Pierce (Republican) is the Sheriff of Wayne County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Wayne County commissioners?
- Barbara Aycock (District 1); Antonio Williams (District 2); Bevan Foster (District 3); Tim Harrell (District 4); Chris Gurley (District 5); Joe Daughtery (District 6).
- Who is on the Wayne County School Board?
- Tommy Sanders (Board of Education Member, At-Large); Chris West (Board of Education Member, District 1); Len Henderson (Board of Education Member, District 2); Bridgette Cowan (Board of Education Member, District 3); Willie R. (Bill) Joyner II (Board of Education Member, District 4); Craig Foucht (Board of Education Member, District 5); Wade Leatham (Board of Education Member, District 6).
- What is the population of Wayne County?
- About 118,652 people, with a median age of 37.3; the median household income is $59,733 and 17.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Wayne County?
- 3.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,618 people unemployed in a labor force of 48,433, against 3.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Wayne County?
- 19 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal and 11 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Wayne County?
- 1: Goldsboro. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
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