Hookerton, NC fits the description of a "small town" to a tee. With fewer than 500 residents, and only one highway running through it, the town has endured the effects of being a small town in a global economy. For the past few decades, as the textile, furniture and tobacco industries which once dominated the small town's economy have moved out of the area, Hookerton has seen businesses close, buildings go vacant, and jobs disappear.
As of the 2000 census, Hookerton had only 200 households. The median income for a household in the town was $31,563, and the median income for a family was $45,625. The per capita income for the town was $14,371. About 7.4% of families and 16.7% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 24.6% of those age 65 or over. The racial makeup of the town is approximately 52.89% White, 40.26% African American.
Watch the NC Now Feature
An interview with Dr. Ribeiro