One of the most basic datasets considered when a client is thinking about purchasing land to build or expand a company is the population and growth of the surrounding community. Among other things, clients want to know:
- Are there enough people to supply an immediate demand for their products/services?
- Is the area growing, and will that growth be sustainable?
- Will the growth trends contribute to a long-term demand for their products/services?
We can easily help clients find data detailing different types of growth—increases in population, new businesses, and household income; pending residential/commercial development; etc.—but because we want our clients to be successful, we encourage them to consider not just the growth itself, but also what fuels that growth. It is frequently the overall “quality of life” that most affects an area’s growth and contributes to a company’s success or failure. A few factors that contribute to an area’s quality of life include:
- the quality of public education
- proximity to and quality of higher education institutions
- social opportunities through local customs and traditions
- recreational activities and the ability to connect with nature
- suitability for families
- cost of living
Since most of our team members have lived in the Triangle area for many years, we can personally—and easily!—elaborate on the quality of life the area affords. But we wouldn’t expect our clients OR you to just take our word for it! Experts from around the nation, even around the world, have researched the Raleigh and Wake Forest areas and have drawn their own conclusions. Let us share with you a little bit of what THEY have to say!
- In what may be the most current praise, Raleigh was ranked just last month (March 2019) as having the 3rd “Best in Quality of Life in the World” by NUMBEO. FYI, this twice-annual accounting ranked Raleigh between 2nd and 3rd for each of its last FIVE reports!!
- Kevin Litwin’s July 2017 article, “Why Wake Forest, NC is a Great Place to Live”, for com sites several reasons for his claim, among them the median annual income and high education level of the population, but it also includes fun stuff, like the vibrant downtown and numerous nature and cultural opportunities.
- Raleigh ranked #2 on the October 2018 “Forbes List for Businesses and Careers”, in part because they were the “most consistent performer” for 16 straight years. This ranking from Forbes was Raleigh’s third straight trip to the #2 position due to the “strong economy and educated workforce”.
- In February 2019, Chris Kolmar compiled com’s fifth edition of “These are the 10 Best Places to Live in North Carolina for 2019”. Six of the “10 Best” are located right here in the Triangle…including our lovely Wake Forest!
- In a November 2018 article by Shaina Mishkin and Allana Akhtar, Money Magazine puts Raleigh in the #2 spot of their “10 Best Big Cities to Live in Right Now”. Part of their reasoning for such a great ranking includes Raleigh’s job growth record of 17.25% in the past five years, as well as its cultural offerings. The article cites one of Raleigh’s nicknames, “Smithsonian of the South”, reflecting the numerous museums available in Raleigh, often free of charge!
- Cheria Brickhouse ofcom used six criteria to complete the site’s February 2019 ranking of the “2019 Most Family-Friendly Cities”: school quality, park availability, cost of living, safety, childcare availability, and commute length. Raleigh came in at #2!
- For clients who need a strong, “fresh out of the gate” workforce for their company, again, Raleigh’s got them covered! Raleigh ranked 10th in MarketWatch’s May 2018 ranking of “The 10 Best Cities for New Grads Starting Out”. In his summary, Andrew Wang cites the offices of “numerous multinational companies in technology, life sciences, and finance”.
There are many, MANY other articles we could site—there’s no way we could list them all! You can check out some of the info on Raleigh here and on Wake Forest here, and of course, you are always welcome to give us a call!!