It is titled the 2017 Community Profile, a four-page leaflet with bright colors, three pictures and dozens of charts and graphics to tell the story of Wake Forest. Or, as Jason Cannon, the town’s director of economic development, says, “It’s a feel good about where you live report.”
It should make you feel good to learn that
* Wake Forest is ranked among the safest cities in the state.
* Wake Forest is the 9th fastest growing town or city in the state.
* 89 percent of the population is under 65 years of age.
* Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary supports 1,430 full-time jobs with an annual economic impact of $37.5 million.
* The median household income is $77,173 while the median in the state is $46,693, the country is $53,482.
* Wake Forest has nearly tripled its population in the last 16 years, going from 14,228 people in 2000 to 41,157 currently. “That’s amazing,” Cannon said.
* Over 50 percent of town residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
* Which also translates into 16.1 percent of residents working in professional, scientific and administrative fields, much higher than other communities, Cannon said. It is second only to the 23.7 percent who work in education, health care and social assistance fields. Coming in third is retail trade with 11.7 percent. “That means that most people who work in retail don’t live in Wake Forest,” Cannon said, because the high median income translates to high housing costs.
*Since 2010 the town’s unemployment has been substantially below the rates in Wake County, the state and the country.
* The profile also lists 22 “amazing corporate citizens:” AMS Software Inc., BTC Electronic Components, Carolina Sunrock LLC, CenturyLinnk, Cornerstone Technical Solutions, East Coast Drilling & Blasting Inc., Electric Motor Shop, Engineered Tower Solutions, IPLS Consulting, Inventure Civil LLC, Moffat Pipe Inc., Power Secure International, Professional Builders Supply LLC, Ruocchio Designs Inc., RxMedic Systems Inc., Solutions-ITS, Storeworks, Superior Tooling Inc., Trident Technology Solutions, Ultra Electronics 3 Phoenix, and Wireless Research Center of North Carolina.
Cannon said a profile is a standard piece of information for economic developers because decisions about where to build a grocery store or an industry are driven by data and demographics. “We have a great story to tell about Wake Forest.” The Wake Forest profile was last updated in 2010, so it was one of Cannon’s first tasks when he was hired by the town.
Tuesday, yesterday, he was in Charlotte for the International Conference of Shopping Centers Carolinas Conference & Deal Making. He had the profile with him. Last Friday he spent the day with a developer (of what not defined) who was very impressed with the town and its recent growth. And he is following the actions of the General Assembly very closely and remains “hopeful that we will see a site infrastructure development fund in the final state budget to support Wake Forest’s ongoing efforts to acquire and horizontally prepare and industrial/technology-based park for end-user development.”
If you want a profile, they are available at the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce at 343 South White Street or you can call Cannon’s office at 919-435-9418 or send him an email, jcannon@wakeforestnc.gov, and he will send you one. It will also be on the new town economic development website which is still being developed. He also has sent the profile to Wake County and several state offices and he distributes them to members when he speaks at civic clubs and organizations.
