Wake County Economic Development

🏆 The Research Triangle and North Carolina continue to build momentum, earning national recognition as top destinations for business growth, innovation, and investment. The latest Business Facilities Magazine 2026 Rankings reinforce the strengths that continue to drive corporate investment and expansion across our region. Raleigh-Durham ranked: #2 nationally for technology labor pools among midsized metros #3 among U.S. Life Sciences Hubs, highlighting the strength of our talent pipeline, research institutions, and industry ecosystem North Carolina also earned top rankings for business climate, corporate tax climate, population growth, life sciences leadership, and foreign direct investment. 🚀 These recognitions reflect the competitive advantages that continue to attract companies to Wake County and the Research Triangle: a highly skilled workforce, world-class universities, a thriving innovation economy, and exceptional quality of life. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/em55DpNw

🎤 Featured Panel: Raleigh, Nashville & Boston: Lessons from Three Leading Metros Hear from: 🌳 Adrienne Cole, President & CEO, Greater Raleigh Chamber 🎵 Stephanie Coleman, President & CEO, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce 🦞 Jim Rooney, President & CEO, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce From workforce development and innovation to economic competitiveness and community growth, this panel will offer valuable insights from three regions that continue to attract businesses, talent, and investment. Join the conversation and discover what Raleigh can learn from its peer metros. https://lnkd.in/ehWGyBVi

Register today! https://lnkd.in/ehWGyBVi

North Carolina's ranking as the #2 State for Business is a reminder of why conversations like Metro Metrics matter. Join regional leaders at Metro Metrics 2026 to explore the data, trends, and insights shaping our region's future and what they mean for business growth, talent, infrastructure, and long-term competitiveness. The state's continued success reflects the strengths that make Wake County and the Research Triangle a premier destination for investment, including a top-ranked economy, a highly skilled workforce, and a thriving innovation ecosystem. But sustaining that momentum will require thoughtful planning. As our region continues to grow, so do the demands on infrastructure, transportation, utilities, and more. Understanding these trends is essential to ensuring Wake County remains a national leader in attracting talent, investment, and opportunity. 🔗 Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/ehWGyBVi

North Carolina’s six-year run at the top continues. CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business 2026 rankings placed North Carolina #2 nationally, matching its exact winning 2025 score, reinforcing the state’s position as a premier business destination in. Key rankings: ✅ #1 Economy ✅#3 Workforce ✅#5 Access to Capital ✅#8 Technology & Innovation These strengths are demonstrated in Wake County and the Research Triangle region, where a highly skilled workforce, world-class universities and a thriving innovation ecosystem continue to attract investment across technology, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. As our population and economy continue to expand, investments in infrastructure, transportation, housing and utilities become even more important to maintaining our competitive edge and sustaining growth. ➡️ Read more about what this ranking means for Wake County and North Carolina’s next chapter of growth: https://lnkd.in/ej-KMgug

Discover how Raleigh stacks up—and stays ahead. Raleigh and Wake County continue to earn recognition as one of the nation's most competitive regions for business, talent, and quality of life. But maintaining that momentum requires more than celebrating success—it requires asking what's next. At Metro Metrics 2026, we'll explore the data, perspectives, and market intelligence shaping our region's future through: 📊 The release of the 2026 Metro Metrics Report 🎤 Insights from peer metros including Boston and Nashville 🌎 Perspectives from leading site selection consultants Join business and community leaders as we examine where Raleigh stands today and how we can build a stronger, more competitive future together. Because the best communities never stop asking: "What's Next?" #MetroMetrics26 https://lnkd.in/ehWGyBVi

The CNBC ranking, which names North Carolina the No. 2 best state for business, reflects what many of us experience daily. A strong economy. A competitive job market. A thriving labor force. A spectacular quality of life. What do all these things point to? 👉 An incredibly balanced economy. Our regional economy, and even the state’s economy, isn’t reliant on one thing. From life sciences to healthcare to tech to advanced manufacturing, our strength is our diverse industry mix. And on top of that, Raleigh’s job growth is greater than 99% of other MSAs, GDP growth is at 98%, and labor force growth is 84%—these numbers you can’t make up. A well-balanced, growing economy doesn’t just happen. It takes years of investment and collaboration. If the CNBC ranking means anything, it shows we’ve built an ecosystem in North Carolina that can and will perform across every market cycle. Thanks to PNC and Jim Hansen for the data. I’m looking forward to sharing more data points like the above at our annual Metro Metrics event on Sept. 2. Don’t miss it! ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ej3x7pQh https://lnkd.in/eV38c6Rc

Wake County Economic Development is excited to welcome Erin Smith as our new Project & Marketing Coordinator. A recent graduate of Appalachian State University, Erin brings a background in public relations, marketing, and community-focused communications, and we’re thrilled to have her support our projects and storytelling efforts. Learn more about Erin on our blog: https://bit.ly/4fsX1vJ

Raleigh ranked among the Top 3 U.S. city for office investing in LoopNet’s 2026 report. WCED is proud to see Raleigh earn the #3 spot, fueled by its strong office employment growth, competitive operating costs and availability of affordable office space.     ➡️ The report highlights Raleigh as one of the nation’s fastest growing markets for office employment and real estate investment, driven by the continued strength of Research Triangle’s talent pipeline.  ➡️This recognition reinforces why investors and companies continue to expand into Wake County, offering a surplus of top talent that creates a business environment for long term success.  ➡️As organizations evaluate where to grow next, Wake County continues to demonstrate why it remains one of the nation's premier destinations for business expansion. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eBEpGEF6 Greater Raleigh Chamber Raleigh Economic Development

What does the data say about Raleigh’s future? Metro Metrics 2026 kicks off with renowned economic strategist Ted Abernathy of Economic Leadership as he unveils the latest comparison of the 100 largest U.S. metros. Built from 268 indicators across six powerful indexes, the 2026 Metro Metrics Report offers a data-driven look at the factors influencing economic growth, talent attraction, business competitiveness, and site selection. Attendees will gain valuable insight into how the Raleigh metro is performing today—and what it will take to lead in the next era of competitiveness. #MetroMetrics26 https://bit.ly/4gNdDAK