Record-Breaking Private Sector Wage Growth
Caldwell County ranked 20th out of North Carolina’s 100 counties for wage growth in 2023. Since 2015, wages have grown an impressive 51.5%.
3 Mar 2025
News
Workforce shortages are one of the biggest obstacles rural communities face today. Businesses are struggling to fill open positions, young professionals are leaving for bigger cities, and many rural regions simply aren’t on the radar for job seekers. The issue isn’t always about the availability of jobs–it’s about visibility. If workers don’t know about the opportunities in your community, they won’t consider moving there.
For too long, rural communities have relied on word-of-mouth and job postings to attract talent. But economic development marketing has changed. The communities that are successfully attracting new residents and workforce talent are the ones that proactively market themselves as great places to live and work.