Triangle Region Leads the Way in North Carolina's Rapid Growth

According to an Axios analysis of the latest census data, North Carolina continues to be home some of America's fastest-growing large counties. The newest data shows that North Carolina has shattered previous record amounts of population growth since the pandemic. Wake County, NC’s largest county (population), saw its population grow by 10%, increasing from an average of 1 million in 2014-2018 to about 1.2 million in 2019-2023. Johnston County, one of the counties that make up the Triangle region, had a 18.5% population growth since 2018. It was even noted that the counties that make up the Triangle region, including Durham, Orange, Chatham, Franklin, Harnett, and Johnston counties, had a five year population change of 56.8%. 

North Carolina had the second largest gain from domestic migration between 2023 and 2024, adding more than 82,000 out-of-state residents, according to the Census Bureau, and the state's population broke 11 million in the past year. The Wake County region continues to rank favorably in national studies regarding job growth and cost of living. Elevate Leadership named Raleigh the #3 Best City to Start a Career in November 2024. Business Facilities' 2024 Annual Ranking Report ranked Raleigh as the #5 Top Metro for Quality of Life in August 2024. The metrics for the ranking focused heavily on economy and taxes. 

Read more about Wake County's population here.