Wake County is celebrating a major milestone this week. Latest numbers show the county will welcome its one millionth resident.
So, bring out the pulled pork and the craft beer! If calculations from the Census Bureau and the Carolina Population Center are correct, Wake County will have one million residents by Friday.
Phil Matthews is Chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners.
“There is, just got a little bit of everything that the people are looking, and we’re centrally located somewhat between the beach and the mountains, so there we have it," said Matthews.
The county is also known for its colleges, start-ups and state government.
Bryan Coates is a Wake County Planner. He says everyday in the county, 22 babies are born and 40 new residents move-in, many from around the world.
“Definitely changed with its ethnicity over the last couple of decades, where it’s not just simply white and African American," said Coates. "It’s a very diverse county.”
Out of the 40 residents moving to Wake County per day, nine are from within North Carolina, and then many others are from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Roughly nine are international, coming from India, China, Latin America, Europe and Africa.
Coates says the milestone is exciting but is also a reminder of many challenges moving forward, like improvements needed in transportation, schools and infrastructure.
County leaders will celebrate their one million residents at today’s board of commissioners meeting.