Beaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,652. Its county seat is Washington. The county was founded in 1705 as Pamptecough Precinct. Originally included in Bath County, it was renamed Beaufort Precinct in 1712 and became Beaufort County in 1739.

Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,875 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. It is commonly known as "Original Washington" or "Little Washington" to distinguish it from Washington, D.C. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles (32 km) to the west.