2015 Mecklenburg County:
Community Pulse Update
Mecklenburg County
Strategic Planning & Evaluation
Monica R. Allen, PhD
Overview
 Demographics
 Economy
 Education
 Health
 Poverty
 Environment
DEMOGRAPHICS
2014 Residents by Race/Ethnicity
Black or African American alone
Other
32%
48%
Asian alone
Two or More Races
12%
5%
1%
Hispanic or Latino
2%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino
Source: North Carolina State Office of Management and Budget
In 2012,
Mecklenburg
County
became a
“majorityminority”
county for the
first time in
history.
65+ Population Observed and Projected Change
20%
17%
13%
15%
12%
9%
2010
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
2020
2030
North Carolina
Mecklenburg
In 2014, an
estimated
101,254
persons over
age 65 lived in
Mecklenburg
County.
Migration Trends
States most Mecklenburg
residents moved from:
• New York (2,777)
• New Jersey (1,451)
• Virginia (892)
Millennials
Gen Xers
• Illinois (859)
• Florida (746)
Baby
Boomers
States most Mecklenburg
residents moved to:
• North Carolina (-1,657)
• Texas (-595)
• Kentucky (-320)
• Georgia (-318)
• Arkansas (-240)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: 2009-2013 American Community Survey; FY2015 Community Survey
EDUCATION
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
High School Graduation Rate
82.5%
80.9%
78.2%
80.4%
77.9%
74.2%
80.6%
85.1%
83.8%
88.3%
86.1%
85.6%
82.9%
81.0%
81.0%
76.4%
73.5%
69.9%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Source: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
*Cohort graduation rate is the percent of students who started the ninth grade together who completed high school in four years or less.
2015
CMS
Wake
North
Carolina
The graduation
rate has
increased
nearly three
percentage
points from
2014 and more
than 18
percentage
points since
2010.
CMS High School Graduates
Enrollment in Remedial Coursework at CPCC (Fall 2014)
41%
3+ Courses
41%
2 Courses
7%
Source: 2015 Data Report on CMS Graduates Attending CPCC Fall 2010-2014
No courses
46%
1 Course
6%
Total number
of CMS
graduates
enrolled in 3 or
more remedial
courses at
CPCC during
the Fall 2014
semester.
The percentage
of the population
with a bachelor’s
degree or more
by Census Tract.
Mecklenburg County
Educational Attainment
28.2%
28.1%
19.2%
13.4%
11.0%
Less than high High school
school
graduate
diploma
Some college
or associate's
degree
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Bachelor's
degree
Graduate or
professional
degree
POVERTY
Mecklenburg County Poverty Overview
Poverty Rates
• 48,247 children in poverty
(20% of all children in the County)
• 26,446 families in poverty
(11% of all families in the County)
35.7%
Hispanic* 28.0%
Black 19.9%
• 14% of impoverished families in
Mecklenburg County live in areas
of concentrated poverty.
19.9%
19.7%
Asian 12.5%
Overall 11.4%
White* 3.7%
Families
Source:. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.
*Hispanic is considered an ethnicity, not a race. Hispanic individuals can be of any race.
*White, non-Hispanic
30.7%
4.7%
Children
25%
Of
Mecklenburg
County
residents
receive a
social service.
Homelessness Update
• 31,723 household applicants are on the
Charlotte Housing Authority Housing
Choice Voucher Waiting List.
• Only 200-240 vouchers become
available each year for housing
assistance.
Source: Characteristics of Charlotte Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List
Housing Instability in Charlotte-Mecklenburg
ECONOMY
Building Permits
Mecklenburg Single Family and Multi-Family* Building Permits
16,000
62%
14,000
70%
60%
12,000
50%
10,000
40%
8,000
30%
6,000
23%
4,000
20%
10%
2,000
0
0%
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
*Five+Units
2006
2007
2008
Single Family
Source: US Census Bureau; *Multi-family homes is defined as dwellings with 5 or more units
2009
2010
% 5+ units
2011
2012
2013
2014
39
The percentage
point increase
of building
permits issued
for multi-family*
homes from
2010-2014.
Apartment Boom
Lake
Norman
Northlake
• Since 2010, concentrations of
multi-family permits have been
issued in Uptown and close-in
neighborhoods, the University
Area, and along I-77 at
Northlake and Lake Norman.
University
Uptown and
close-in
neighborhoods
Duplex
3-4-plex
5+ Unit apt.
3-4-plex condo
Source: Mecklenburg County GIS
5+ Unit condo
HEALTH
Access to Public Outdoor Recreation
Many Mecklenburg County residents live
within ¼ mile of public outdoor recreation.
• 67% of County greenways are within ¼ mile
of a transit stop.
• 53% of County parks are within ¼ mile of a
transit stop.
Source: Quality of Life Explorer
Health Behaviors
Mecklenburg County
North Carolina
82%
66%
57%
17%
19%
18%
23%
Percent of Adults who are Current Percent of Adults who are Overweight Percent of Adults with No Physical
Smokers
or Obese
Activity
Source: North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance
Mecklenburg County Health Department, Epidemiology Program
Of adults do not
eat 5 or more
servings of
fruits and
veggies daily.
ENVIRONMENT
Solid Waste
Mecklenburg County Solid Waste Generation Rates
1998 to 2015
Solid Waste
Disposal Rate
In 2005
1.67
Tons/Person
In 2014
1.09
Tons/Person
[Pounds/Person/Day]
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Source: N.C. Division of Waste Management.
Summary
Mecklenburg County is…
•
•
•
•
•
Fast growing
Becoming more diverse
Stronger economically
Becoming more healthy
Dramatically reducing solid waste generation and disposal
Questions
For more information, please contact:
Monica R. Allen, PhD
Strategic Planning & Evaluation Director
Mecklenburg County Government
(980) 314-2901
Monica.Allen@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov