Workforce

Rowan County has access to one of the largest pools of potential workers in North Carolina. Our labor shed is made up of a potential labor force of almost 1.4 million (based on active civilian workforce within a 60 minute commute from Salisbury, Rowan County’s largest city) with a median age of 39.4 years. More than 86 percent of the region’s population has a high school diploma or higher.

Rowan County is located in the Charlotte Metro region and borders the Piedmont Triad region – two of the fastest growing population centers in the US. This continuing influx of talented professionals to the region provides businesses and companies access to a robust pool of highly skilled and educated workforce.

As a right-to-work state with a perennially low union membership rate of under 3 percent, North Carolina offers low-cost labor in one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the U.S.

Rowan County is in the process of being certified as an ACT Work Ready Community (WRC), a national effort that will help Rowan to strengthen the talent pipeline by identifying skill gaps and quantifying the skill level of its workforce. This helps educators build career pathways aligned to the needs of business and industry — and it helps Rowan County to stand out and be recognized for its workforce development efforts.

Rowan County has become an attractive place for young, professional families who move here for open spaces, quality schools and lower cost of living. With a dynamic cultural heart and flavorful charm of quaint local communities, Rowan County provides a better balance for business and life that is a draw to new residents and businesses.