Maintaining Momentum: Jobs & Population Growth

By: Ted Abernathy, Economic Leadership LLC

Maintaining Momentum is a blog series written by Ted Abernathy, a leader in advancing economic development across North Carolina. 

In the early 1990s national publications began to take notice and the accolades started pouring in. North Carolina, the Research Triangle region, Wake County and its communities now boast pages and pages of the “best,” and optimism for the future abounds. By almost any measure, we have built momentum. Momentum is “the power to increase or develop at an ever-growing pace.” The data shows strong, sustained growth.

Over the past quarter of a century, jobs in Wake County have more than doubled, growing by 114%.

Job growth has been widespread, with even a slight growth in manufacturing jobs since 1990.

Population growth has been even more dramatic. In 1990, 423,380 people lived in Wake County. In 2016, that number had risen to over one million (1,028,410), approximately 143% growth. Population projections expect the Raleigh metro area to continue to experience rapid population growth over the next 30 years. Among competitor regions, only Austin is expecting faster percentage growth.

For a recap of "Our History & Foundation," click here. Stay tuned to explore labor force and GDP trends, and our thriving tech sector.