Chapter 2 The Need for Conservation
• If growth continues at projected rates, the state’s population will increase by 3.2 million people by 2050 (NCOSBM 2022) .
Other indicators of population growth include commuting patterns that have changed significantly over the last three decades, with more people driving alone and longer distances between home and work and fewer using carpools or walking to work (Jacobsen and Mather 2010) . Several reasons have been cited for this trend including increases in car ownership, job growth in suburban and surrounding areas, and an increase in the need to combine trips between home and work with stops at the day care, grocery store, and other locations (Ungemah et al.2007; Jacobsen and Mather 2010) . Much of the current population growth is centered around the state’s major urban areas. Figure 2 .2 -1 depicts projected population growth rates for 2030 to 2040 in North Carolina by county (NCOSBM 2024a) and supports predictions that growth will center around major metropolitan areas.
Figure 2.2-1 Projected population growth by county, 2030 — 2040 (NCOSBM 2024a) .
Between 2010 and 2020, the top five fastest growing counties in North Carolina were Johnston, Brunswick, Cabarrus, Wake, and Mecklenburg, which are counties adjacent to or encompassing the highly urbanized areas of Raleigh, Charlotte, and Wilmington —demonstrating significant growth around urban centers. In 2023, half of North Carolina’s population growth occurred in Wake and Mecklenburg counties (NCOBMS 2024) . Projections indicate growth trends will continue around large urban centers while rural and less populated areas may experience low growth or
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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