Workforce, logistics, infrastructure, transportation and cost often frame the basis for location decisions.  However, it is the qualitative measures, often difficult to define, that encourage a company’s final location commitment, instill a sense of pride and ownership, and build employee loyalty as people find passion in this place.

Earlier this year Richard Florida explored the key factors that really shape how happy we are with the places we live in an article from The Atlantic’s Citylab titled, What Makes Us the Happiest About the Places We Live.  Looking at comprehensive data, and data by subset, three factors consistently ranked in the top 3:  1. Safety, 2. Parks & Recreation, and 3. Good-paying jobs.

As for safety, Henderson County is tied for the lowest Total Crime Index at 64  (with 100 being the US average) among the 27 North Carolina counties with a population of 100,000 or more persons.  We’re surrounded by national, state, county and municipal parks, greenways, and natural assets.  And we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in North Carolina at 4.0% while our average wages are climbing.  In the last 4 years, Henderson County’s average annual manufacturing wage has increased from $44,890 to $50,584.

As we enter 2015, please know that HCPED appreciates your engagement in our organization.  We hope that in addition to being happy in this place, that you also have confidence and optimism in the direction and stability of our local economy.  Please take a few minutes to view a short video, linked on the image below, that summarizes the intangible value in our economic development offering, better defined as place.