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Maybe with the new wave of people working from home NC could offer some financial or tax incentives for people to relocate to economically depressed areas of the state. Eastern NC in particular seems to be stagnant outside of Greenville with no signs of any industry nor investment to increase the desirability of those places. NC is still building plenty of empty highways out there though.
Maybe with the new wave of people working from home NC could offer some financial or tax incentives for people to relocate to economically depressed areas of the state. Eastern NC in particular seems to be stagnant outside of Greenville with no signs of any industry nor investment to increase the desirability of those places. NC is still building plenty of empty highways out there though.
I think that the challenge of the declining cities is not going to be solved by remote workers looking for inexpensive housing. As a 20+ year remote worker, I can tell you from my experience that one's community becomes even more important since you lose the in-person socialization that you used to get at work.
I think that those cities that have richer experiences within their communities will largely win the talents of the remote worker. Obviously everything is in balance, and one will still need to afford where they live, but I doubt that low costs alone will bring people to a struggling city.
Other than Charlotte and Raleigh, what other predictions does everyone have for the top 25? What's the next city to jump into the group, and what city/cities are in danger of falling off the list?
Holly Springs might squeak in to spot #25 for the 2020 census. It's going to be close because its population is currently at 37,812, and is growing faster than everywhere on the list except Apex. However, Mooresville and Indian Trail are both growing at a very healthy clip as well. It wouldn't be surprising if all three pass Hickory in one fell swoop in a year or two. Once Hickory gets bumped I think that it will be a little while before another new city joins the the top 25, as that will effectively require passing Wilson and Rocky Mount (both of which will quickly be overtaken by Indian Trail, Mooresville, and Holly Springs). I suspect that by 2030, Rocky Mount and Wilson will be at #24 and #25, respectively, and will have Fuquay-Varina and Morrisville closing in rapidly. Once those spots are exchanged, I don't think we will see any more new entrants to the top 25 for a long time, barring something unexpected.
As far as changes within the top 25 go, it's looking like Apex will very soon pass Chapel Hill for #15. Kannapolis might manage to pass Rocky Mount for #19 this census, and Wake Forest will pass Wilson within the next couple of years to take over #21. Durham will catch Greensboro eventually and take over #3. There will probably be some minor moves up and down a spot or two, but otherwise once Hickory, Wilson, and Rocky Mount are replaced it will be pretty stable for the next few decades. Jacksonville is the extreme outlier (a massive chunk of its growth was due to mass annexation in the '90s), and is the only city on the list that I think is in jeopardy of falling off the top 25 at some point in the future.
Clayton will blow up probably in the 2030's or so. JoCo wants to be included in the commuter rail project with multiple stops. Once that happens people will be drawn in due to the lower cost of living. Super commuting from Clayton to RTP will be normalized in the future.
Clayton will blow up probably in the 2030's or so. JoCo wants to be included in the commuter rail project with multiple stops. Once that happens people will be drawn in due to the lower cost of living. Super commuting from Clayton to RTP will be normalized in the future.
I can totally see Clayton making a run at the top 25.
The facts are what they are. There's no hiding or denying it. Charlotte wanted to be in the big leagues, so they annexed land, to the extent they could under state laws, which substantailly increased it's population.
Facts are facts.
Charlotte is acknowledged as being "in the big leagues" or close to it based on its metropolitan area population. Nobody recognizes Jacksonville as such which pretty much renders this argument DOA.
As Charlotte's rapid growth over the years spilled beyond its official boundaries, it annexed that land--which is what all cities do whenever they are able to do so. Also, in anticipation of future growth, it annexed undeveloped land a little further out. The primary reason any city pursues annexation is to increase its tax base to provide services more efficiently; in many cases those living just beyond municipal limits already benefit from city infrastructure and utilize city services.
What drives you to keep making these same discredited arguments under several aliases/sock puppet accounts? You do know that Charlotte is a city and not an actual person whose feelings you can hurt, right?
Regardless of what happens with growth in the Triangle in the future, and regardless what happens with the whole 2 MSAs debacle (at least as we see it), the context of other large cities and metros in the Triangle's sphere will block it from physically expanding. For example, it's unusual for a core county of a large, fast growing city to not include adjacent counties in its MSA, yet most of the counties adjacent to Wake aren't part of Raleigh's current MSA. Even at the CSA level, Harnett County is omitted in favor of Fayetteville. Because Fayetteville is relatively close by to the south of Raleigh, and because Greensboro is relatively close by to the west of Durham & Chapel Hill, the possible physical expansion of the boundaries of the Triangle and its sphere of influence are limited. This assures that there is likely no tangible path for the Triangle to ever catch Metrolina at its current land area. Maybe the Triangle could move eastward, but that feels unlikely to me given that the energy in the Triangle draws it towards its middle. Metrolina is already nearly 40% larger in land area than the Triangle at the CSA level, and arguably has more room to run given that it doesn't have other major or mid-major cities nearby to stop it.
Both areas are poised to rapidly grow for some time to come, and that will continue to be reflected in the numbers of cities that they occupy in the top 25 list of NC cities. Each metro will continue to pick off stagnant legacy cities on the list as more and more commuter towns push onto the list.
It really is interesting that most of Wake's bordering counties aren't in its MSA. But seeing as though the Triangle is easily the most rapidly growing metro in the area, it's more likely that other surrounding counties get included over time, certainly this decade.
It really is interesting that most of Wake's bordering counties aren't in its MSA. But seeing as though the Triangle is easily the most rapidly growing metro in the area, it's more likely that other surrounding counties get included over time, certainly this decade.
Well, Wake has all its neighboring counties except Granville in 2000. Durham took Chatham in the divorce (then added Granville out of spite), and Fayetteville took Harnett later. It’s likely they’ll all wind up back with Wake sooner rather than later.
Well, Wake has all its neighboring counties except Granville in 2000. Durham took Chatham in the divorce (then added Granville out of spite), and Fayetteville took Harnett later. It’s likely they’ll all wind up back with Wake sooner rather than later.
I get how the 2003 split went down but the revisions over the past decade have been...interesting. Charlotte's CSA and the Triangle used to be nearly equal in population and they are still growing similarly it's a bit puzzling. I've never looked into the reasons for the changes.
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