Charlotte Growth Could Benefit Rutherford County

Charlotte's continued growth could create new economic opportunities for Rutherford County, but local officials will need to prepare for businesses and workers looking beyond the Charlotte area.

That was one of the key takeaways from a recent conversation led by former Charlotte Mayor and North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory.

McCrory spoke with Charlotte developers Peter Pappas and Andre Collins about the challenges facing rapidly growing communities, including transportation, housing, development, infrastructure and workforce needs.

The discussion has implications for Rutherford County as the Charlotte region continues to expand.

Pappas pointed to major investments across the region, including projects in Concord, Hickory, Rock Hill and Catawba County.

"The whole region's growing," Pappas said.

For Rutherford County, that regional growth could mean an opportunity to attract companies looking for available land, industrial space and a location within reach of the Charlotte market.

But the developers said communities need to prepare for growth before it arrives. Transportation was one of the concerns Pappas identified.

"With growth, comes more traffic," he said.

That issue is familiar in Rutherford County, where economic development depends in part on reliable connections to Interstate 40, Interstate 85 and larger regional markets.

The county also faces a workforce challenge.

Rutherford County's 2025-26 budget documents reported an unemployment rate of 4.8% and noted that the county has more jobs paying above the median income and offering benefits than it has had in roughly two decades.

The county also said attracting workers into the local labor force remains a challenge.

That means economic development could require more than recruiting new employers.

Communities also need housing for workers, transportation infrastructure and available industrial sites.

Rutherford County commissioners have already identified industrial development as a priority.

Commissioners have discussed developing an industrial shell building, which would give the county a building ready for a potential manufacturing or industrial tenant rather than waiting for a company to construct a facility from the ground up.

The Charlotte discussion also focused on the balance between development and protecting existing neighborhoods.

McCrory said Charlotte's earlier growth strategy concentrated greater density around employment centers and transportation corridors while protecting established residential neighborhoods.

He warned that communities should not automatically equate more development with progress.

"Let's not confuse growth with progress," McCrory said.

That issue could become increasingly important for Rutherford County as new development occurs.

Economic growth can bring jobs, investment and additional tax revenue, but development can also create pressure on roads, utilities, housing and surrounding neighborhoods.

The Charlotte experience also highlights the importance of long-term planning.

McCrory said Charlotte could benefit from developing a 25- to 50-year vision for how the region will grow.

For Rutherford County, that could mean determining where industrial development should occur, where housing should be built and what infrastructure will be needed to support future investment.

The county is part of a larger regional economy that includes Cleveland, McDowell and Polk counties. The Foothills Regional Commission coordinates economic-development planning across the four-county area.

As Charlotte continues to grow, Rutherford County's location could become an advantage.

The challenge will be attracting investment while maintaining the quality of life that makes the county different from a major metropolitan area.

For local taxpayers, that also means asking whether economic-development incentives and public investments produce measurable results.

Questions about promised jobs, wages, private investment and the cost to taxpayers will remain important as the county competes for new businesses.

Charlotte's growth does not guarantee Rutherford County will benefit.

But the region's expansion could provide an opportunity — if the county has the infrastructure, workforce, and development plans to pay workers a market rate when that opportunity arrives.