Jurisdiction
City of
Goldsboro
2000
2010
Percent
Change
2000-
2010
2020
2030
39,801 36,437 -8.45% 39,018 Not
available
9,796 9,744 -0.53% Not
available Not
available
City of
Washington
Source: http://censusviewer.com; North Carolina Office of State Budget and
Management County/State Population Projections; Goldsboro Parks and Recreation
Comprehensive Plan, 2008
Dare, Hyde, and Wayne Counties expect to experience population growth
over the next two decades. Beaufort County is expected to experience very
minimal growth over the next 15 to 20 years, while Bertie, Tyrrell, and
Washington Counties are expected to decline in population in the next
20 years.
2.2
Economic Development
The Study Area is home to a diverse economy, yet the one industry that
impacts every county within North Carolina is tourism, with a statewide
average of $55 Million spent in lodging, food, and retail per day. Due to the
state’s history, culture, and scenic views, the state attracted approximately
52.5 million visitors in the year 2013 making North Carolina one of the top
six most visited states in the US. The following paragraphs provide an
economic overview of each of the jurisdictions in the JLUS Study Area.
Beaufort County
Beaufort County is popular due to its waterfront areas and historic features.
Many manufacturers choose to locate their businesses in Beaufort County
because of the low tax rates and mild climate. The primary industries in
Beaufort County are education, healthcare, manufacturing and retail. The
manufacturing industry comprises of 12.6 percent of the county’s
workforce. Some of the top manufacturers include PotashCorp Aurora,
Flanders Filters, and Stanadyne. Many of the products manufactured include
mechanical parts.
Tourism is a growing part of the county's economy. Having lost many
manufacturing jobs in the past 20 years, improving tourism efforts in the
county is a priority for its economy, which has suffered since the
Great Recession of 2008. From 2010 to 2011, the economic impact of
domestic tourism in Beaufort County increased by five percent. That
increase is attributed to attractions like the historic town of Bath, the City of
Washington's restored waterfront, the Aurora Fossil Museum, the Belhaven
Memorial Museum and Goose Creek State Park.
Bertie County
The primary industries in Bertie County include education, healthcare, social
assistance, and manufacturing. Bertie County also benefits from the Region
Q Workforce Investment Consortium, a regional workforce development
organization mentioned under Beaufort County within Section 2.4 of the
JLUS Background Report.
In 2008, a steering committee made up of local representatives established
a strategic plan for the county that involves the creation of an environment
that supports new and existing businesses. This is accomplished by
upgrading and improving the infrastructure to promote tourism,
entrepreneurism, and the integration of technology by utilizing existing
community values and natural resources. The plan establishes goals and
strategies to achieve the mission. Some of the economic development
strengths the county possesses are proximity to highways, railroads, and
airports, a state‐of‐the art medical facility, and a number of vacant industrial
buildings.
Page 10
Seymour Johnson AFB and Dare County Range JLUS Report