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Young Professionals in a Metropolitan East (Look Homeward, Yuppies)

Young Professionals in a Metropolitan East (Look Homeward, Yuppies). November 19, 2009. A New NC. Two questions. What would we learn by looking at economic development opportunities in Eastern North Carolina through a “metropolitan’’ lens as distinct from the traditional “rural’’ lens?

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Young Professionals in a Metropolitan East (Look Homeward, Yuppies)

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  1. Young Professionals in a Metropolitan East (Look Homeward, Yuppies) November 19, 2009

  2. A New NC

  3. Two questions • What would we learn by looking at economic development opportunities in Eastern North Carolina through a “metropolitan’’ lens as distinct from the traditional “rural’’ lens? 2) What steps should the region take to attract and retain young professionals?

  4. Scope of N.C. East Project • Data analysis: • Interviews: face to face conversations with 70 young professionals working in the region + 15 who have left the region. • Poll: surveyed 1,874 residents of all ages in 9 counties. • Case studies: similarly situated regions and sub-regions.

  5. Economic Development Regions

  6. Population Centers

  7. State of the Region • 960,000 people across 13 counties. • 10% of people; 13% of land; 18% of municipalities. • Pitt & Onslow growing faster than state average.

  8. State of the Region • 63/30/7 white/black/other • 35% of residents 20-44 yrs. old (NC=39%) • 18% of residents 25+ have BA (NC=26%)

  9. 3 General Observations • Multi-level disconnectedness • Equal feelings of hope and concern about progress in the region. • Amenities and cultural/natural resources are vital to young professionals.

  10. Multi-level disconnectedness • 1 region with 5 distinct sub-regions. • No common sense of a larger, regional community, in theory or in practice. • Culture clashes: • Race • Generational • Old blood – New blood

  11. Multi-level disconnectedness “The towns in the east don’t work together and try too hard to compete with one another.” – Single black male, age 24. “Unless you are ‘Old Rocky Mount,’ there is not a lot of opportunity professionally or in civic life.” – Married white male, age 34.

  12. Multi-level disconnectedness “City leaders are old and traditional. They aren’t willing to try new things or change the status quo.” – Married white male, age 28. “All the professional firms…are segregated. There are black professionals and white professionals that don’t interact.” – Single white female, age 30.

  13. Where there’s contradiction, there’s hope 60% of residents and 66% of residents 18-44 think the region is on the wrong track. YET, 71% of residents and 64% of 18-44 year olds think the region is “good” or “excellent” place to live.

  14. Where there’s contradiction, there’s hope 86% of young adults said that career opportunities for their generation were fair to poor. YET, more than70% of young adults planned to stay in the region.

  15. Where there’s contradiction, there’s hope “Single people can’t stand living here, while it is a great place for married couples.” – Married white male, age 25. “It’s extremely difficult to find a husband or wife…everything is geared toward college students or older people.” – Single white female, age 31.

  16. Where there’s contradiction, there’s hope “Great place to raise a family.” “Laid back way of life.” “Friendly people.” - common refrain in interviews “Everyone…is either very well-off or poor. The middle-class is the one that moves.” Married white male, age 34.

  17. Making way for amenities • The lack of amenities and social/cultural opportunities for young adults was a common criticism in interviews. • Poll: 40% of young adults under 35 were dissatisfied with their community’s cultural resource offerings. Only 21% were satisfied or very satisfied.

  18. Making way for amenities • Local governments in the East spend the least of any region on recreational and cultural activities. • The East has the least amount of state and locally funded recreational area of any region—nearly 20,000 acres less than next lowest region.

  19. Resource opportunities Neuse river water access Neuse river land access

  20. School—the ultimate amenity • Local governments in the East spend the least of any region on school capital and are tied for last in the amount they spend on curriculum. • 87% of young adults polled said education was a problem.

  21. Findings • Investin local and regional mechanisms to engage young adults in the future of the region. • Consider Greenville as a 1st tier hub • Land and water provide opportunities for resource development and regional branding.

  22. Next steps • White paper, published in December. • Collaborate with the Eastern Region office to present and disseminate findings to interested groups in the region.

  23. For More Information Program on Public Life UNC-Chapel Hill CB# 3365 Chapel Hill, NC 27599 Phone: (919) 962-5936 Email: southnow@unc.edu www.southnow.org Ferrel Guillory, Director (guillory@unc.edu) Andrew Holton, Associate Director Jennifer Weaver, Assistant Director

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