North Carolina
“The Tar Heel State”
What Makes North Carolina Beautiful
North Carolina spans from the misty peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway's scenic splendor to the windswept Outer Banks barrier islands where the Wright brothers first flew. Cascading waterfalls hide in lush Appalachian forests, while Bald Head Island's maritime forests and Cape Hatteras's wild shores beckon.
Key Metrics
10.8M
Population
$708.5B
GDP
+7.5%
GDP Growth (5yr)
$66.2K
Median Income
8.6%
Tax Burden
History
Roanoke Colony, the Lost Colony, established on the Outer Banks
Ratifies the Constitution as the 12th state
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight at Kitty Hawk
Greensboro sit-ins spark the nationwide civil rights sit-in movement
Research Triangle Park established, transforming the state's economy
Top Cities
Charlotte
900K
Largest city; major banking center; NASCAR hub
Raleigh
475K
State capital; Research Triangle; tech boom
Greensboro
300K
Triad city; sit-in movement birthplace
Durham
285K
Duke University; Research Triangle Park
Winston-Salem
252K
Wake Forest University; arts and innovation district
Economy & Industry
Core Industries
Natural Resources
Energy Portfolio
Budget & Fiscal Health
$62.5B
State Budget
$61.2B
State Revenue
$-1.3B
Fiscal Balance
Social Indicators
12.9%
Poverty Rate
33.4%
College Degree
9.3%
Uninsured
372/100K
Crime Rate
Where is North Carolina Headed?
GDP Projections ($B)
| Scenario | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr | 25yr | 50yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimistic | $722B | $780B | $859B | $1148B | $1861B |
| Baseline | $719B | $763B | $822B | $1028B | $1492B |
| Pessimistic | $715B | $741B | $775B | $886B | $1109B |
Political Landscape
R+3