Mecklenburg County, home to the City of Charlotte, is no longer the most populous in North Carolina. As of July 2010, Wake County holds the largest population in the state, over 920,000 residents, more than half of whom live outside of the City of Raleigh.
Why is Wake still growing as Mecklenburg stalls? Many attribute Wake’s continuing growth to the county’s diversified, research-driven economy, which has adapted to the recession and maintained an unemployment rate of 8%, below the national average (around 10%). As the largest county in the Carolinas, Wake must make stronger efforts to plan for future transportation, education, and drinking water needs.
Read ‘Its Wake’s turn as state’s population king’ for more information (News & Observer, July 2010).