The Accolades Keep Pouring in for Catawaba County
Published Jul 03, 2008
The Accolades Keep Pouring in for Catawaba County
The region is getting recognized for its manufacturing, business climate and housing markets, consistently scoring high ranks on surveys and studies by national groups and publications.
Here’s a quick look: MSNBC in January 2008 ranked Hickory as the 14th hottest housing market in the country.
In 2007, Hickory snared an All America City designation for the third time since 1967.
Forbes magazine rated the Hickory Metro area third in the nation for lowest business costs and 20th for lowest cost of living in 2006.
Southern Business and Development put the Hickory region in third place in its small market category for Top Deals and Hot Markets in 2005.
That same year, Business North Carolina named Hickory 8th in the state for quality of life.
Hickory ranked second-best hometown behind Sheboygan, Wis., in February 2001 in the ePodunk.com Home Towns Index.
The region’s success is particularly notable because from 2000 to 2004, North Carolina lost more manufacturing jobs per capita than any other U.S. state.
And Catawba County, the longtime home to many American furniture and textile manufacturers, took a beating, says Danny Hearn, president and CEO of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce.
“Catawba County is coming back from one of the worst economic collapses in the country,” Hearn says.
Seven years ago, unemployment was at 11 percent. In early 2008, it was down to 5 percent.
“That is pretty phenomenal,” he says. “We are pretty excited.”
Story by Pamela Coyle
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