Destination North Carolina

This section will answer many of your questions regarding the life science industry in North Carolina, the state's economy, tax structure and cost of living, education, transportation, climate, recreational opportunities, history and more.

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Industry Overview | Economy/Cost of Living | Education
Recreation & Entertainment | Transportation | Geography & Climate
History | Suggested Reading List

First in flight, origin of Pepsi-Cola, the heart of motor sports; this is North Carolina, home to a thriving life sciences industry and abundant natural resources and recreation opportunities.

Industry Snapshot

North Carolina is an established, innovative and growing biotech center with over 200 pharmaceutical, biotechnology and contract research organizations employing over 30,000 professionals. The state’s life science industry, generating approximately $7 billion in annual revenues and ranked among the top five biotech regions in the nation, is growing 10 to 15 percent a year. The state’s strong information technology base boasts leadership in telecommunications, banking and one of the highest ranked global high tech hot spots in its Research Triangle region. The state’s commitment to the life sciences industry is clear.

Economy/Cost of Living

North Carolina has one of the fastest growing technology economies in the U.S. and the government and industry backing to continue the trend. The state offers many resources for new businesses including incentives and programs administered by the Commerce Finance Center.

Education

North Carolina is steeped in a rich tradition of academic excellence. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the first public university in the nation and consistently ranked as one of the best colleges and among the top research universities in the country, is one of the University of North Carolina’s 16 campuses. The UNC system, with 183,000 students, has nationally prominent researchers in the fields of biotechnology, agricultural engineering and virtual reality.

Recreation & Entertainment

Named as one of the Top 10 states for cultural and heritage tourism, North Carolina is a recreational paradise and the sixth most visited state in America. Annually, over 49 million people visit, spending $12.6 billion and in effect growing tourism into one of the state’s largest industries.

Transportation

Centrally located on the eastern seaboard, North Carolina enjoys an exceptional transportation infrastructure.

Geography & Climate

Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north, and South Carolina and Georgia to the south, North Carolina is divided into three distinct geographic areas: the Mountains in the west, the Heartland, often called the Piedmont, in the center, and the Coast in the east. Each area has its own distinct features.

History

North Carolina boasts many first achievements in its rich history, among them the first public university in the U.S. (the University of North Carolina)- opened in 1789, Babe Ruth’s first home run in Fayetteville in 1914, the first Pepsi-Cola created in New Bern in 1898, the first miniature golf course in Fayetteville, the first gold nugget found in the country from Reed Gold Mine in Cabarrus County in 1799, and the Wright Brothers’ first flight in Kitty Hawk in 1903.

Suggested Reading List

A list of select guides and reference books about North Carolina.