IN THEIR PLACE.

The Charlotte, Triangle and Triad regions continue to set the pace. But the mountains are on the move.

It's no surprise the big regional partnerships continue to lead the economy. Charlotte, with its financial industry, anchors the Carolinas Partnership. The Research Triangle Regional Partnership is technology-driven, and the Piedmont Triad Partnership is heavy in manufacturing.

But the most improved in the past two years, according to an index created by economist James Kleckley, was AdvantageWest, a group of 23 western counties. It moved from fifth to fourth by improving its score by 0.7. The Research Triangle score made the same jump but remained second. The biggest drop was by the Global TransPark Region. Kleckley, president of Greenville-based Problem Solving Research Inc., attributes that to 1999's Hurricane Floyd.

Kleckley's index combines latest-year statistics with those of five years ago, factoring in jobs, income, unemployment, retail sales and food stamps. He then ranks counties and partnerships in each category, from 1 to 100. The index is the average of those rankings, so lower is better.

While the three large partnerships still dominate, closer examination of the county index shows that growth isn't limited to the state's largest cities -- Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Currituck County in the poorly performing Northeast partnership is among the top five in the state. Avery, Clay and Jackson counties, all part of AdvantageWest, finished among the state's top 10.

Don't look to Charlotte-based Nucor Corp.'s $380 million steel plant in Hertford County, which brought 220 jobs, to change the rankings any time soon. "That's really one of the limitations of the rankings, because we're not looking at capital investment," Kleckley says. "If you look at Nucor, it's a huge investment, but not a whole lot of people are going to be working there."

Still, he hopes Nucor will attract other development, leading to greater tax revenues for school improvements and services that will make Hertford County more desirable. "That's part of what's going on in development these days," Kleckley says.

Which means spreading the wealth in North Carolina's economy will happen in small bursts, and the Big Three will remain securely atop the rankings for a long time.

                                VITAL SIGNS
                       Counties in the state's three
                     major metro areas fared best, but
                        two coastal counties -- New
                         Hanover and Currituck --
                              also excelled.
                                                  Two years ago
Rank Regional Partnership                   Score   Score       Rank
 1   Carolinas Partnership                   2.2     2.4         1
 2   Research Triangle Regional Partnership  2.3     3.0         2
 3   Piedmont Triad Partnership              3.4     3.7         3
 4   AdvantageWest                           4.0     4.7         5
 5   Southeast                               4.8     4.7         5
 6   Global TransPark Region                 5.1     3.8         4
 7   Northeast Partnership                   6.1     5.8         7
                              ADVANTAGE WEST
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Alleghany          9.6     9.9        10.2
Ashe              22.2    24.4        26.4
Avery             14.9    15.9        17.1
Buncombe         175.0   197.9       217.5
Burke             75.8    83.8        92.2
Caldwell          70.8    77.0        83.8
Cherokee          20.2    23.6        28.5
Clay               7.2     9.0        11.8
Graham             7.2     7.6         7.7
Haywood           47.0    52.5        58.2
Henderson         69.7    83.5        98.1
Jackson           26.9    30.5        33.7
Macon             23.6    29.5        36.8
Madison           17.0    19.1        21.1
McDowell          35.7    41.2        48.2
Mitchell          14.4    14.8        14.8
Polk              14.5    17.1        19.0
Rutherford        57.1    62.0        67.9
Swain             11.3    12.4        13.5
Transylvania      25.5    29.2        33.5
Watauga           37.0    41.7        45.5
Wilkes            59.4    64.2        70.4
Yancey            15.4    17.0        19.1
REGION           857.3   963.8     1,075.1
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6     9,119.0
                            PER-CAPITAL INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Alleghany      $13.9 $26.7     $46.7
Ashe            13.3  22.0      32.1
Avery           13.7  24.9      43.5
Buncombe        18.0  28.4      44.7
Burke           15.8  21.9      28.4
Caldwell        15.2  24.2      36.7
Cherokee        12.2  18.7      23.0
Clay            12.9  20.4      28.8
Graham          10.4  18.7      31.6
Haywood         15.2  22.8      31.1
Henderson       18.5  29.0      45.4
Jackson         13.7  22.5      32.5
Macon           14.5  22.8      32.7
Madison         12.7  20.4      31.1
McDowell        13.6  20.1      24.3
Mitchell        13.1  21.3      31.2
Polk            20.9  31.5      50.0
Rutherford      14.3  20.7      25.8
Swain           10.6  18.0      28.4
Transylvania    16.5  24.6      37.2
Watauga         14.4  23.3      37.9
Wilkes          15.6  24.0      35.9
Yancey          12.4  19.5      29.3
REGION          15.6  24.3      36.0
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Alleghany          4.7     5.5         7.0
Ashe              10.7    10.5        10.6
Avery              6.8     7.5         8.2
Buncombe          88.5   100.1       109.4
Burke             40.2    41.5        45.8
Caldwell          38.6    39.3        40.9
Cherokee           8.6    10.6        10.7
Clay               3.0     4.0         5.0
Graham             2.9     3.5         4.1
Haywood           21.8    22.7        24.4
Henderson         31.5    36.1        40.6
Jackson           12.8    15.2        17.6
Macon             10.7    13.1        15.7
Madison            7.8     8.8         9.4
McDowell          17.8    19.2        20.2
Mitchell           6.5     6.5         7.1
Polk               6.8     7.5         8.2
Rutherford        28.6    27.1        26.4
Swain              5.1     5.1         5.5
Transylvania      11.3    10.9        10.5
Watauga           18.8    22.3        25.2
Wilkes            30.5    31.6        31.5
Yancey             6.2     6.1         6.7
REGION           420.2   454.6       490.6
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Projected
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture                 4,203
Construction               21,469
Finance/insurance/
  real estate              10,268
Government                 64,649
Manufacturing             114,819
Retail/wholesale           88,107
Services                   86,709
Transportation/utilities/
  communications           12,178
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce, 1998 data
                           CAROLINAS PARTNERSHIP
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Alexander         27.6    32.5        39.2
Anson             23.5    24.3        24.5
Cabarrus          99.3   128.4       173.1
Catawba          118.6   136.0       156.4
Cleveland         85.0    94.9       104.8
Gaston           175.1   186.1       197.6
Iredell           93.3   120.9       163.6
Lincoln           50.5    59.7        69.4
Mecklenburg      513.1   664.4       866.5
Rowan            110.8   128.1       146.1
Stanly            51.8    57.1        63.7
Union             84.5   119.1       168.9
REGION         1,433.0 1,751.5     2,173.9
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6     9,119.0
                             PER-CAPITA INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Alexander      $15.7 $22.5     $29.5
Anson           14.2  22.2      33.7
Cabarrus        18.1  28.7      40.0
Catawba         18.8  29.7      45.9
Cleveland       15.8  22.7      31.3
Gaston          16.6  24.5      34.6
Iredell         16.9  26.1      35.0
Lincoln         16.2  23.5      34.9
Mecklenburg     23.4  39.1      62.2
Rowan           16.0  23.8      36.0
Stanly          15.8  23.1      32.0
Union           17.0  23.1      26.6
REGION          19.2  30.5      46.0
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture                 8,648
Construction               55,591
Finance/insurance/
 real estate               62,219
Government                108,247
Manufacturing             219,767
Retail/wholesale          222,262
Services                  206,483
Transportation/utilities/
  communications           56,302
Source: N.C. Departmentof Commerce, 1998 data
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Alexander         15.4    16.6        17.7
Anson             11.2    10.1        10.0
Cabarrus          53.2    65.3        74.3
Catawba           68.3    72.3        76.8
Cleveland         43.6    42.7        42.8
Gaston            91.3    97.8       103.0
Iredell           50.2    60.2        68.5
Lincoln           26.9    31.4        35.2
Mecklenburg      289.2   360.6       419.0
Rowan             56.1    64.7        71.0
Stanly            27.0    25.8        28.4
Union             44.9    59.4        67.8
REGION           777.3   906.9     1,014.4
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
                               RETAIL SALES
                               (in millions)
COUNTY             1990      2000 [*]      2010 [*]
Alexander        $108.1    $190.2        $285.3
Anson             106.6     147.8         170.1
Cabarrus          692.2   1,958.7       3,666.2
Catawba         1,305.6   2,429.2       3,884.3
Cleveland         678.2   1,151.5       1,748.1
Gaston          1,331.8   2,209.4       3,104.9
Iredell           868.6   1,799.3       3,056.5
Lincoln           274.1     574.2         855.4
Mecklenburg     8,720.6  17,548.7      29,762.4
Rowan             737.4   1,132.1       1,953.8
Stanly            390.2     643.6         808.6
Union             665.4   1,334.6       2,167.0
REGION         15,878.9  31,119.3      51,462.8
NORTH CAROLINA 63,894.9 136,810.9     238,812.7
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Projected
                              PIEDMONT TRIAD
                                PARTNERSHIP
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990   2000 [*]   2010 [*]
Alamance         108.4   122.5      139.1
Caswell           20.7    22.7       26.7
Davidson         126.8   144.6      165.7
Davie             27.9    33.4       42.2
Forsyth          266.1   290.3      307.9
Guilford         348.0   395.3      442.1
Montgomery        23.4    24.5       26.0
Randolph         106.8   125.3      148.0
Rockingham        86.2    90.6       94.5
Stokes            37.3    44.5       51.7
Surry             61.8    68.6       76.7
Yadkin            30.5    35.6       40.2
REGION         1,244.0 1,397.9    1,560.8
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6    9,119.0
                             PER-CAPITA INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Alamance       $17.6 $26.9     $38.7
Caswell         12.6  20.0      28.3
Davidson        16.6  24.6      35.1
Davie           19.4  29.8      36.9
Forsyth         22.2  34.8      58.3
Guilford        21.3  32.7      53.9
Montgomery      13.5  21.5      32.8
Randolph        16.0  24.4      34.5
Rockingham      15.5  22.5      32.3
Stokes          15.3  22.3      29.1
Surry           16.3  23.6      32.3
Yadkin          15.9  23.7      33.9
REGION          19.0  28.9      44.6
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture                               4,643
Construction                             39,057
Finance/insurance/real estate            35,551
Government                               79,284
Manufacturing                           199,249
Retail/wholesale                        161,346
Services                                168,863
Transportation/utilities/communications  37,812
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce, 1998 data
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Alamance          58.9    65.0        68.9
Caswell            9.8    12.6        15.1
Davidson          70.0    78.0        85.4
Davie             15.0    17.2        18.9
Forsyth          139.4   151.0       164.8
Guilford         192.9   215.6       232.9
Montgomery        11.3    11.2        11.8
Randolph          61.0    69.3        75.9
Rockingham        44.1    42.0        41.6
Stokes            19.5    22.7        25.7
Surry             32.1    33.5        33.9
Yadkin            15.7    18.0        19.5
REGION           669.7   736.1       794.3
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
                               RETAIL SALES
                               (in millions)
COUNTY             1990      2000 [*]      2010 [*]
Alamance       $1,028.1  $1,717.4      $2,612.7
Caswell            37.4      68.5          84.3
Davidson          799.1   1,375.4       1,853.5
Davie             175.0     294.5         459.4
Forsyth         3,224.9   5,592.9       8,850.8
Guilford        5,140.8   9,653.9      15,569.3
Montgomery        126.9     251.4         319.1
Randolph          613.6   1,093.6       1,710.0
Rockingham        467.1     768.3       1,086.4
Stokes            119.9     178.1         225.1
Surry             592.6     989.2       1,615.0
Yadkin            135.7     225.5         390.0
REGION         12,461.1  22,208.7      34,775.7
NORTH CAROLINA 63,894.9 136,810.9     238,812.7
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Projected
                             RESEARCH TRIANGLE
                           REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Chatham           39.0    47.3        56.8
Durham           182.3   206.3       233.1
Franklin          36.5    46.5        57.2
Granville         38.3    45.5        56.8
Harnett           67.9    86.2       107.6
Johnston          81.6   114.7       165.9
Lee               41.5    50.1        58.6
Moore             59.2    74.2        89.4
Orange            93.9   113.0       130.9
Person            30.2    34.2        38.4
Vance             39.0    42.9        47.7
Wake             427.8   603.4       823.2
Warren            17.3    19.1        22.1
REGION         1,154.5 1,483.3     1,887.7
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6     9,119.0
                             PER-CAPITA INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Chatham        $18.6 $29.7     $44.4
Durham          20.3  33.0      61.6
Franklin        14.3  22.9      36.3
Granville       14.1  22.0      28.8
Harnett         13.4  20.4      30.3
Johnston        16.0  24.4      31.6
Lee             17.2  27.2      40.2
Moore           20.8  31.5      52.4
Orange          21.5  31.5      47.3
Person          15.2  22.8      34.6
Vance           14.4  20.4      29.9
Wake            22.6  36.3      54.3
Warren          11.3  17.0      22.7
REGION          19.5  31.0      47.8
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture                 9,658
Construction               43,532
Finance/insurance/
  real estate              32,652
Government                139,809
Manufacturing             128,883
Retail/wholesale          162,591
Services                  219,095
Transportation/utilities/
communications             31,434
Source: N. C. Department of Commerce, 1998 data
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Chatham           21.4    26.4        30.1
Durham            99.0   116.4       137.8
Franklin          17.9    23.2        26.3
Granville         18.7    22.1        25.9
Harnett           30.1    35.4        40.4
Johnston          42.7    58.9        77.0
Lee               20.1    25.2        29.5
Moore             26.7    28.5        29.4
Orange            51.9    64.3        73.5
Person            15.6    16.7        18.9
Vance             18.6    18.0        18.0
Wake             247.3   349.0       466.9
Warren             6.9     6.5         6.6
REGION           616.9   790.7       980.5
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
                               RETAIL SALES
                               (in millions)
COUNTY             1990      2000 [*]      2010 [*]
Chatham          $192.0    $380.2        $599.2
Durham          1,683.0   3,611.5       5,779.5
Franklin          152.6     309.4         437.4
Granville         182.5     343.1         528.3
Harnett           347.2     569.7         825.7
Johnston          585.8   1,313.9       2,183.4
Lee               394.8     761.3       1,379.1
Moore             460.6     959.7       1,599.4
Orange            626.6   1,154.8       1,789.3
Person            174.2     331.9         518.9
Vance             300.5     538.8         846.5
Wake            5,196.3  12,297.3      24,165.7
Warren             58.7      74.9          93.8
REGION         10,354.9  22,646.4      40,746.2
NORTH CAROLINA 63,894.9 136,810.9     238,812.7
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Project
                                 SOUTHEAST
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Bladen            28.7    31.1        33.8
Brunswick         51.1    73.7       104.5
Columbus          49.6    53.3        56.7
Cumberland       275.0   287.8      314.71
Hoke              22.9    32.2        42.9
New Hanover      120.7   153.1       180.1
Pender            29.0    41.4        56.1
Richmond          44.6    45.8        46.6
Robeson          105.3   117.7       130.4
Sampson           47.4    53.4        60.7
Scotland          33.8    36.0        37.9
REGION           808.1   925.5     1,064.2
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6     9,119.0
                            PER-CAPITA INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Bladen         $12.5 $21.5     $28.4
Brunswick       14.1  21.1      31.8
Columbus        13.2  21.3      32.8
Cumberland      15.2  26.0      38.3
Hoke            11.5  14.0      18.0
New Hanover     17.8  29.5      49.2
Pender          14.1  19.8      27.1
Richmond        13.6  20.3      27.3
Robeson         11.6  18.4      26.0
Sampson         15.3  21.7      32.3
Scotland        13.1  21.1      36.1
REGION          14.5  23.4      35.1
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture                7,101
Construction              19,634
Finance/insurance/
  real estate             11,889
Government                73,725
Manufacturing             70,573
Retail/wholesale          84,006
Services                  71,276
Transportation/utilities/
  communications          13,521
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce, 1998 data
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Bladen            12.5    18.8        19.9
Brunswick         23.1    31.0        34.9
Columbus          20.8    20.7        19.9
Cumberland        98.2   112.7       124.6
Hoke               9.2    10.9        12.1
New Hanover       62.4    77.9        92.5
Pender            13.1    15.7        19.6
Richmond          21.0    17.2        15.6
Robeson           45.3    50.1        51.7
Sampson           22.5    22.6        23.5
Scotland          15.1    15.8        16.2
REGION           343.3   393.5       430.6
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
                               RETAIL SALES
                               (in millions)
COUNTY             1990      2000 [*]      2010 [*]
Bladen           $165.6    $258.1        $334.6
Brunswick         352.8     820.9       1,512.1
Columbus          315.2     487.8         821.8
Cumberland      1,796.5   3,195.4       4,860.0
Hoke               64.0      93.3         148.0
New Hanover     1,604.9   3,326.3       5,722.5
Pender            104.4     257.4         386.3
Richmond          279.5     406.2         672.2
Robeson           629.1     950.7       1,579.7
Sampson           259.7     494.5         955.4
Scotland          230.1     327.9         481.5
REGION          5,801.8  10,618.6      17,474.2
NORTH CAROLINA 63,894.9 136,810.9     238,812.7
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Projected
                          GLOBAL TRANSPARK REGION
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Carteret          52.6    60.5        66.4
Craven            81.9    90.6       101.4
Duplin            40.0    43.6        46.7
Edgecombe         56.6    54.6        53.4
Greene            15.4    18.8        22.3
Jones              9.4     9.3         9.1
Lenoir            57.3    58.9        59.5
Nash              77.0    93.7       110.1
Onslow           149.6   144.3       156.5
Pamlico           11.4    12.4        12.9
Pitt             108.7   129.7       151.7
Wayne            104.8   113.3       120.4
Wilson            66.1    69.2        73.9
REGION           830.8   899.0       984.3
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6     9,119.0
                             PER-CAPITA INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Carteret       $15.2 $25.6     $40.8
Craven          15.9  26.6      50.1
Duplin          14.4  23.5      40.9
Edgecombe       13.5  21.7      34.4
Greene          15.1  19.4      27.2
Jones           12.2  21.5      39.0
Lenoir          15.5  23.0      35.1
Nash            17.2  25.2      33.9
Onslow          13.2  23.7      35.9
Pamlico         14.2  22.9      34.4
Pitt            16.5  25.3      38.3
Wayne           14.2  21.7      35.4
Wilson          16.4  26.2      39.6
REGION          15.0  24.2      38.0
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture               11,867
Construction              22,725
Finance/insurance/
  real estate             12,279
Government                84,835
Manufacturing             68,863
Retail/wholesale          87,679
Services                  65,790
Transportation/utilities/
  communications          12,154
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce, 1998 data
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Carteret          24.5    28.1        31.5
Craven            32.1    34.8        36.8
Duplin            18.7    20.9        22.1
Edgecombe         26.8    22.9        22.7
Greene             7.2     8.6         9.6
Jones              4.2     4.2         4.8
Lenoir            26.8    27.9        31.6
Nash              39.6    40.9        43.4
Onslow            39.4    45.6        49.5
Pamlico            4.8     5.3         5.5
Pitt              54.8    63.5        69.9
Wayne             45.7    46.9        50.1
Wilson            32.3    33.4        36.2
REGION           356.9   383.0       413.6
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
                               RETAIL SALES
                               (in millions)
COUNTY             1990      2000 [*]      2010 [*]
Carteret         $459.0    $813.9      $1,112.7
Craven            545.5     923.6       1,199.3
Duplin            206.4     332.9         466.8
Edgecombe         369.0     468.2         781.6
Greene             48.7      63.8          87.6
Jones              38.2      32.4          39.8
Lenoir            490.8     827.4       1,309.7
Nash              868.7   1,495.0       2,517.5
Onslow            619.5   1,151.0       1,889.5
Pamlico            43.2      67.0         127.2
Pitt              901.4   2,045.0       3,966.7
Wayne             840.0   1,208.3       1,882.4
Wilson            690.8   1,067.1       1,702.7
REGION          6,121.1  10,495.4      17,083.4
NORTH CAROLINA 63,894.9 136,810.9     238,812.7
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Projected
                           NORTHEAST PARTNERSHIP
                                POPULATION
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Beaufort          42.4    45.5        49.5
Bertie            20.4    20.4        20.0
Camden             5.9     7.0         8.3
Chowan            13.5    14.4        15.1
Currituck         13.8    18.8        24.9
Dare              22.8    30.6        42.3
Gates              9.3    10.3        11.4
Halifax           55.6    55.7        54.4
Hertford          22.4    21.9        21.5
Hyde               5.4     6.0         7.8
Martin            25.1    26.1        26.0
Northampton       20.9    21.2        21.2
Pasquotank        31.4    36.0        40.7
Perquimans        10.5    11.4        12.6
Tyrrell            3.9     4.0         4.4
Washington        14.0    13.4        12.8
REGION           317.2 3,342.6       372.9
NORTH CAROLINA 6,644.9 7,763.6     9,119.0
                             PER-CAPITA INCOME
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY          1990  2000 [*]  2010 [*]
Beaufort       $14.9 $21.9     $34.4
Bertie          12.7  19.8      29.0
Camden          13.8  22.0      31.6
Chowan          14.8  23.4      37.8
Currituck       15.7  23.1      29.3
Dare            16.4  24.5      33.3
Gates           13.6  19.4      26.8
Halifax         13.0  20.4      31.1
Hertford        12.2  19.8      33.0
Hyde            13.6  20.1      27.3
Martin          13.8  19.3      26.8
Northampton     12.3  20.5      31.7
Pasquotank      14.7  21.5      32.1
Perquimans      12.4  18.8      25.6
Tyrrell         13.6  17.6      23.5
Washington      13.7  20.2      32.1
REGION          13.9  21.1      31.3
NORTH CAROLINA  17.4  27.5      42.2
                                EMPLOYMENT
                                 (in 000s)
COUNTY            1990    2000 [*]    2010 [*]
Beaufort          19.5    18.5        19.6
Bertie             8.5     8.4         8.5
Camden             2.7     3.1         3.5
Chowan             5.9     6.3         6.5
Currituck          6.8     8.8        10.3
Dare              13.5    17.0        19.6
Gates              4.0     4.5         5.0
Halifax           22.4    20.6        20.2
Hertford           9.5     9.7        10.4
Hyde               2.4     3.0         3.7
Martin            11.5    10.3         9.5
Northampton        8.2     7.6         7.9
Pasquotank        13.0    14.3        16.2
Perquimans         4.3     4.5         5.1
Tyrrell            1.7     1.6         1.6
Washington         5.9     5.7         5.6
REGION           139.7   143.9       153.2
NORTH CAROLINA 3,324.0 3,808.8     4,277.3
Source: Problem-Solving Research Inc. except where noted
(*.)Projected
                       EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR
Agriculture                3,438
Construction               5,552
Finance/insurance/
  real estate              4,367
Government                27,844
Manufacturing             23,541
Retail/wholesale          30,348
Services                  20,487
Transportation/utilities/
  communications           3,759
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce, 1998 data