North Carolina
Nov. 26th, 2022 11:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
next_migration
Coastal communities will be threatened by flooding from sea level rise and increasingly severe hurricanes. Unlike states farther north, the big cities in North Carolina are largely well inland, which will serve the state well in future. Parts of the coast are marshy, and the coastal towns are few, small, and probably have economies that rely on the proximity of the ocean. The exception is Wilmington, a mostly low-lying city of over 120,000 on the southeast coast. Its county has had 19 natural disasters resulting from hurricanes in the past. I suggest to Wilmington residents who are not highly attached to that community that they consider moving inland for greater security.
Inland cities include Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Durham, and Fayetteville, as well as a dozen smaller cities and many more towns. The named cities’ metro areas, counting suburbs, range from over half a million to over 2.5 million people. Both Day and Hall (2016) and Kurtz et al. (2020) suggest that their long-term sustainability may be questionable. In particular, Kurtz et al. find that some metro regions in North Carolina would require fairly large foodsheds even with lower-meat diets, because of the limited amount of farmland in annual crops near those cities.
Additionally, as I keep noting, racial segregation and educated urbanites’ self-segregation are what makes gerrymandering possible. Therefore, it would be better if urban residents could spread out into a larger number of smaller communities. For someone wanting to get out of the giant cities and their suburbs, here are a few smaller cities and towns, all of which have intercity bus service, that might have potential.
o Asheville in the west is a moderate-sized (95,000 people), prosperous city with a reputation for artsiness. Historically its residents have therefore been heavily targeted for disenfranchisement through gerrymandering, and it would have to grow quite a lot before it would be impossible to disenfranchise. Though it is relatively well-positioned, Day and Hall note that its economy is heavily dependent on luxury spending, namely tourism. Further, like many tourist destinations, the cost of living is well above the national average. It could be a good destination only for people who are confident of having an above-average income.
o Wilson (50,000 people) is less than an hour east of Raleigh, but with a little countryside between them. Major industries include pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, distribution, finance, and agriculture. It is the home of a liberal arts college, a community college, and the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf. Much of the city is a bit run-down, and the local hospital is limited. Has an Amtrak stop. Recently converted its fixed-route bus service to a dial-a-ride service in partnership with a “transportation-technology” megacorp.
o Hickory in the west has a population of 43,000. Manufacturing (fiberoptic cable, furniture, tape, mattress coils), server farms, and logistics, distribution, and transportation are among important industries. There are a community college, a few small schools or branch campuses, and a convention center. There are several festivals, a good variety of arts and cultural organizations, and a motor speedway. It attracts many retirees, but the costs of living are still reasonable. Has a limited bus service encompassing three local towns.
o Morganton (16,000 people) is near Hickory, a relatively short drive from Asheville. It’s a historic Appalachian town with reasonable housing costs and generally pleasant feeling, despite some political/cultural tensions. State government, manufacturing, and tourism to the beautiful nearby mountains are major employments. Morganton hosts the state school for the deaf, a residential STEM-focused high school, and a state mental institution; there is a community college. Unemployment as of this writing is over 8%, which would normally disqualify it. However, a recent report that residents are developing co-op manufacturing of furniture and textiles is a very good sign: this is exactly the sort of thing towns positioned to engage in manufacturing ought to be doing to keep jobs in town and profits in workers’ pockets.
o Salisbury (35,000 people) is in the northeastern fringe of the Charlotte metropolitan area. The textile and manufacturing industry has been in decline, but medicine, education, government, tourism, and a grocery chain have made up for some of the losses. It has two private Christian colleges, a seminary, and a community college. It has many historic districts; there are several vineyards in the area. Has a modest city bus service and an Amtrak stop.
o Monroe (35,000 people) is at the southeastern fringe of the Charlotte metro area. Aerospace, pharmaceuticals, other manufacturing, agriculture, and education are among major economic sectors. Monroe is known for its antique and flea markets. It has a rather horrific history of persecution of Black residents but seems to have improved.
o Lenoir (18,000 people) is in the Blue Ridge Mountains northeast of Hickory. Past closure of furniture factories badly affected the economy; unemployment is now low, but so are average wages (and, fortunately, cost of living). Health care and education, and to a lesser extent nurseries and server farms, are important employers. Diversions include hiking, bicycling, and local wineries and breweries.
o Boone (19,000 people), in the Appalachian northwest, is a college town, home to the good-sized Appalachian State University, the largest employer. Boone is largely white, but the area is home to the historic Junaluska African-American community, which has a mostly Black Mennonite Brethren congregation. Popular local culture includes bluegrass music and Appalachian storytelling, and there is beautiful and historic scenery. Many retirees have moved to Boone, creating equity issues. Most townies are poor, but housing costs have been run up by well-to-do retirees and even modest apartments can cost well over $1000 a month. There is a free public bus available to the community as well as college students.
o Southern Pines is a town of 14,000 in the south-central Sandhills region that was founded as a health resort. There are many horse farms and golf courses in the area. The military and associated corporations are major employers, as well as manufacturing. There is a large community college, and the public schools are well-regarded. Several breweries and a growler fill station contribute to the downtown ambience. House prices have skyrocketed recently, but rent is still relatively reasonable. There is an Amtrak stop and a single, but fairly complicated, local bus route.
o Newton (13,000 people) is just south of Hickory, whose bus system connects to it. Like Hickory, it is home to a variety of industrial employers and has low costs of living. Public events include a well-attended annual folk art festival.
o Lincolnton (11,000 people) is northwest of Charlotte, in the metro area but with some less developed space between them. It appears that some residents work in Charlotte and use Lincolnton as a bedroom community. Housing is pricier than in some places, but still certainly cheaper than in Charlotte.
o Rockingham, a town of less than 9,000 at the southern edge of the state, has many people working in education, manufacturing, and retail. There is a community college, which is building a business and IT school. There is not much excitement, but there is a drag racing strip.
