The Eastern Carolina Local Area is located within the Eastern Region Economic Development Region and encompasses nine counties (Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne). These counties are primarily rural and reliant upon agriculture with a total area of 5,710.64 square miles, and 4,834.41 square miles of land area. The counties' populations range from Jones and Pamlico with less than 13,000 each, to Onslow and Wayne with more than 100,000 each. According to the 2000 Census, the total population was 565,503 and 87,608 (15.5%) were below poverty. According to the North Carolina Demographics Unit, by July 2009 the estimated population will increase to 612,173, for a growth rate of 8%. The counties are a diverse mix of races, ethnic groups and ages with pockets of urban prosperity among rural poverty. The 2001 median family income within the Local Area was $41,689 and ranged from a high of $47,000 in Carteret County to the low of $36,700 in Duplin County.

According to the 2000 Census, of those persons, 25 years of age and older in the Local Area, 224,552 are High School Graduates and 39,661 are College Graduates.

There are four military bases in the three highest populated counties of Craven, Onslow, and Wayne. In addition, the three coastal counties (Carteret, Pamlico, and Onslow) are growing seasonal resort and retirement areas. Government, retail trade, services and manufacturing are the major sources of employment, with government employing the largest number of workers. Most of the jobs are located in the more populated counties with the military installations and in the seat of government for each county.

Click here for a complete Labor Market Analysis

During January 2007, the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board, Inc., in partnership with the Labor Market Information Occupational Research Unit of the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina conducted a survey of employers in North Carolina's Eastern Region. The survey [the first of its kind for this area] was designed to report job vacancies and characteristics of job applicants and hiring activities to determine employer's current and future needs in the workforce.

Click here for the results of the 2007 Survey

The Labor Market Information Division of the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina has prepared an "ECONOMIC OUTLOOK" for the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board, Inc.

Click here for the March 2008 Report

These reports are in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free by clicking here.