Pittsboro, North Carolina

Pittsboro, North Carolina
Town
Hillsboro Street in downtown Pittsboro
Seal
Nickname:  Circle City
Location of Pittsboro, North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°43′40″N 79°10′10″W / 35.72778°N 79.16944°W / 35.72778; -79.16944
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Chatham
Government
• Mayor	Cindy Perry
Area [1]
• Total	5.52 sq mi (14.29 km2)
• Land	5.49 sq mi (14.21 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation [2]	466 ft (142 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,537
• Density	826.86/sq mi (319.24/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	27228, 27312
Area code	919 / 984
FIPS code	37-52660[3]
GNIS feature ID	2407130[2]
Website	pittsboronc.gov

Pittsboro is a town in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,743 at the 2010 census^[4] and 4,537 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Chatham County.^[5]

The town was established in the late 18th century, shortly after the American Revolution, as the county seat for the newly formed Chatham County. In the years leading up to the American Civil War, the economy was dominated by small-scale farms that relied heavily on enslaved labor. In the aftermath of the civil war, racial tensions were high, and the town was noted for a number of lynchings and other racial violence in the late 19th century. Industrialization came to the community in the late 19th century, as a number of rivers cross the area providing locations for mills and factories. Economic and population growth would continue into and throughout the 20th century. As industry moved away from the community, it has in the 21st century transitioned into a bedroom community for the nearby cities of the Research Triangle region.