[2] The area eventually comprising Anson County was originally occupied by Native Americans of the Catawba and Waxhaw tribes.

[6] Reductions to its extent began in 1753, when the northern part of it became Rowan County.

25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Anson County is governed by a board of commissioners, which constitutes seven members elected by district.

[26] Anson County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.

After 2012, Republicans enjoyed more electoral success in the region, though Anson County voted more Democratic than its neighbors.

[20] In 2016, the Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, won the county by a margin of 13 percent, though in 2020 the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, won by only four percent.

[29][30] The county favored a Republican candidate for a federal office in 2022[20] and Donald Trump flipped the county in 2024, the first Republican presidential candidate to do so since Richard Nixon in 1972.

[32] The county is served by South Piedmont Community College, which has a campus near Polkton.

[33][34] The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Anson County.