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Recently, I had a friend of mine express concern about outward migration of young people from Beaufort County.

Between 2010 and 2020, Beaufort County’s population decreased from 47,759 to 44,652, a 6.5% decrease. The United States Census Bureau’s estimate for 2023 is 44,481, a decrease of 0.4% from 2020. 53.8% of North Carolina’s rural counties lost population between 2010 and 2020.

Rural counties tend to have a large population of senior citizens. As they die, migration and birth rates are not high enough to replace those who have expired. Migration into smaller municipalities within a county may be rare.

Most of the rural counties that had population increases were coastal or close to a large urban area. In Beaufort County, the decline in population has slowed and I believe population has started to increase in the western part of the county.

The decline in rural populations is largely blamed on a decline in business opportunity, agriculture, manufacturing due to globalization and economic growth in the urban areas.

In rural areas, people who are born poor tend to remain poor. In urban areas, there are more work opportunities to attract workers from the rural counties. Pitt County, being close to Beaufort County, has increased work opportunities and is likely to attract additional economic development.

Pitt County is classified as suburban by the NC Rural Center but I believe it has become more urban. From 2020 to 2023, the population has grown from 170,243 to an estimated 175,119. In the same period of time, Greenville has grown from 87,521 to 90,053. It won’t be long before they reach 100,000.

It’s an advantage for Beaufort County to be close to Pitt County. Pitt County has a regional medical center, major university, airport with passenger service and many attributes which are important to people that live there and visit. Career opportunities will continue to increase in Pitt County.

Beaufort County has opportunities in medical, education, manufacturing, government, construction and Aurora is home to a large mining operation. There are jobs available in Beaufort County. Employers tend to complain there are not enough workers available.  Workers complain that the wages are not high enough.

The higher paying opportunities are in the larger urban areas and there are more things young families like to do. Workers tend to be paid more for the same jobs they can obtain in Beaufort County. Upward mobility is considered a problem in rural communities.

Young people used to stay near their family where they grew up. I did but eventually came to North Carolina for various reasons. Now, more than ever, people travel to where opportunity and money is.

Beaufort County is a beautiful, wonderful county to live with many positive attributes. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.

To limit outward migration of young people, Beaufort County must recruit business that provide more and better paying jobs. There needs to be more opportunity here, not just in the larger urban areas.

There are various economic initiatives in Beaufort County. Most of the focus doesn’t seem to be on more and better paying jobs. I believe that is where the focus needs to be.

Al Klemm is a Washington resident and former Beaufort County Commissioner.