Land Use Plan – 2002 - Stanly County, North Carolina

STANLY COUNTY
Population trends for communities within Stanly County were also examined as indicated in
Tables 2-2 and 2-3. From 1990 to 2000, Stanfield showed the greatest amount of growth with a
115 percent increase in population. Oakboro showed the second-largest increase with a growth
rate of 99.7 percent. These growth trends point to the close proximity of the two communities to
growth in Union and Cabarrus Counties. Significant growth has also taken place in Norwood with
an increase of 37 percent in population from, 1990 to 2000. This is likely due in part to its
proximity to Tillery Reservoir. Locust grew over the same period by 24.5 percent. It is anticipated
that growth will continue in the towns and unincorporated areas on the southwestern edge of the
county and along NC 24/27 corridor. An acceleration of this growth rate is expected when the
eastern portion of Interstate 485 is completed in 2003 along with the planned widening of NC
24/27, NC 49, and U.S. 52 to four lanes.
Population Projections
Population projections for counties in North Carolina to the year 2020 have recently been
released by the State of North Carolina Office of Budget and Management and are included in
Tables 2-2 and 2-3. Generally these projections estimate that existing population growth trends
in Stanly County and other central North Carolina counties. These projections predict that the
population of Stanly County will continue to grow at a moderate pace over the next 20 years.
The population is predicted to increase 10.8 percent between 2000 and 2010 to 64,372 people.
The projections go on to predict that the population of the county will be 70,547 persons in 2020,
a 9.6 percent increase between 2010 and 2020. At the end of the 20-year period, an additional
12,447 persons are expected to be living in the county.
Davidson, Montgomery, and Rowan Counties are expected to grow at rates similar to Stanly
County over the 20-year period identified in Tables 2-2 and 2-3.
The pattern of significant population growth in the counties west of Stanly County—Cabarrus,
Mecklenburg, and Union Counties—is expected to continue over the same analysis period.
Cabarrus County is expected to grow 26.3 percent by 2010, and another 20.9 percent between
2010 and 2020, ultimately arriving at a population of 200,092 in 2020. Union County—while
growing at a faster rate—will arrive at a 2020 population of 210,738. By 2020, Mecklenburg
County’s population is expected to reach 1,089,258. Between 2000 and 2010, Mecklenburg
County is expected to grow 28.4 percent; between 2010 and 2020, it is predicted that the county
will grow 22.0 percent.
Similar projections for communities within Stanly County are not available.
Table 2-4 compares population growth in unincorporated and incorporated areas of Stanly
County. From 1990 to 2000, the unincorporated areas grew at almost the same rate as the
incorporated area. This may, in part, be due to the annexation of unincorporated areas in the
past decade. Overall, unincorporated areas comprise almost 58 percent of the county’s overall
population.
Table 2-4. Population Growth, Unincorporated and
Incorporated Areas of Stanly County, 1990-2000.
Area 1990 2000
Percent
Change
Stanly County Unincorporated Population 29,842 33,482 12.2
Incorporated Totals 21,923 24,618 12.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 and 2000.
Note: Unincorporated population totals include figures for Red Cross. Red Cross
incorporated subsequent to the completion of the U.S. Census.
Land Use Plan 2-3 6/02