Land Use Plan – 2002 - Stanly County, North Carolina

STANLY COUNTY
Table 2-14. Mean Commuting Time, Stanly County and State of North Carolina, 1990-2000.
Census Year Stanly County State of North Carolina
1990 20.8 19.8
2000 25.3 24.0
Percent Change, 1990 to 2000 21.6 Percent 21.2 Percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 to 2000.
With the construction of the eastern section of Interstate 485 to within 13 miles of the western
edge of Stanly County scheduled to be complete in 2003, commuting times are expected to
increase for the county labor force. Easier access will allow for quicker commutes to Charlotte
and its eastern suburbs in Cabarrus and Union Counties. This will result in an increase in the
population of people who work in Charlotte and Union and Cabarrus Counties but who live in
Stanly County. This development is of particular concern for western Stanly County, including
the towns of Locust and Stanfield and the NC 24/27 corridor leading to Albemarle, a situation
that appears to be borne-out already in 2000 Census figures for Stanly County.
Educational Attainment
The educational level of an area is an important factor for employers and new businesses when
deciding where to locate. Based on 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census figures, Stanly County has a
relatively high level of educational attainment. As indicated in Table 2-15, educational attainment
remained relatively unchanged for the county from 1990 to 2000. Over 32.9 percent of the
population over the age of 25 have obtained a high school diploma, a 0.5 percent increase over
the 10 year period. The percentage of residents with a high school diploma or greater increased
at a similar level to 62.5 percent of the over 25 population.
Table 2-15. Educational Attainment, Stanly County, 1990 and 2000.
Educational Attainment Level 1990 2000
Less than 9th Grade 15.0 14.8
9th-12th Grade, No diploma 22.9 22.8
High School Graduate 32.4 32.9
Some College, No Degree 14.1 14.0
Associate’s Degree 6.3 6.4
Bachelor's Degree 7.0 6.9
Graduate or Professional Degree 2.4 2.3
Percent High School Graduate or Higher 62.2 62.5
Percent Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.4 9.2
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 and 2000.
County Development Trend Analysis
Zoning and building permit data were examined to identify trend of development within Stanly
County. Data was used that was available from the county from as far back as 1990 for zoning
permits activity, and from building permits data from 1997 to the present. It is important to note
that building permit data discussed in this section of the report includes statistics covering all of
Stanly County. Zoning permit data, however, excludes statistics for Locust, Oakboro, Richfield,
and Stanfield.
Land Use Plan 2-10 6/02