Opportunity in America: Roxboro, NC

If you travel just north of North Carolina’s major cities of Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham you will stumble across Roxboro—a small town harboring big economic dreams for its skilled manufacturing workforce.  It also offers a bucolic setting and convenient location for commuters into the nearby Research Triangle area, home to world-class universities and many high-tech companies.

In 2000, Roxboro had a population of 8,696.  The town has been built on the electrical, manufacturing, and textile industries.   It has not been immune to the housing and auto industry woes, and is looking to expand and diversify its manufacturing base.  The area remains a rich farming area and home to a number of successful small businesses.

The city is split into three primary areas of business -- Uptown, Madison Boulevard, and South Madison -- with the southern area experiencing a boom recently. The town’s tax rate is $.614 of assessed value, compared to the state's average tax rate of 65.9 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Robert Gray grew up in the tight-knit community and this Tar Heel graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Tourism is a major factor for the local economies in the Research Triangle area, where Roxboro and Chapel Hill are located.  Visitor spending in Chapel Hill generated $147.55 million in 2007, a 7.2% jump from 2006.  And traveler spending generated more than $2.5 billion in tax receipts in 2006.

By the Numbers

The average length of stay for North Carolina visitors in 2007 was 3.1 nights

The state has 3 major international airports serve the state and in 2003 they served more than 23 million passengers

In 2007 estimated median household income in Roxboro was  $29,570 up from $26,875 in 2000

The median house or condo value in 2007 in Roxboro was $99,056 an increase from $68,300 in 2000

The UNC men's basketball team has won 4 NCAA national championships, the most recent one being in 2005

In North Carolina 695 new car dealers employ 33,000 and have an annual payroll of $1.51 billion

A Glance In the Rearview Mirror

1.) What has changed about your hometown the most since you left?

Roxboro has grown up and out since I left town.  It has become a slightly more diverse town, best evidenced by the Mexican and Italian eateries that have sprung up since then.  They reflect the influx and greater affluence of new residents as well as the changing American palate.

These gastronomical offerings may be commonplace in most cities, but they didn't exist in my childhood there.  It was more like Hardee's, Pizza Hearth or the local steak houses.

There is also a bona fide sports bar uptown and across the courthouse lawn, a cafe serving espresso, cappuccino and homemade cookies.

Additionally, the county surprised many longtime residents by passing liquor by the drink a few years ago.
The old Farmer's Supply shop that sold feed and sleds, is now a restaurant as well.

Person County has grown South towards the Research Triangle Park area, where many of the State's top universities and high-tech and biotech jobs are located.  New neighborhoods have sprung up in the southern part of Person County as more people commute into the RTP.

The county adapted from a tobacco and textile based economy to heavier reliance on auto and housing.  But with those industries in dire straights, county officials have been looking and luring new businesses to town from overseas locations such as Britain, France, & Israel.

2.) What one characteristic in your life now do you credit your hometown for planting in you?

One characteristic that I can attribute to my parents and my upbringing in Roxboro is my work ethic.  My family and friends were all excellent examples of putting in the time and effort to do things right the first time.  Persistance is an offshoot of this work ethic and that is also something I feel comes from the close-knit, always competitive environment I grew up in with my brother, Sean, and my friends.  No one ever quit anything and we always strived to come out on top, no matter how difficult the task.

3.) What do you miss the most?

There are many things I miss from my hometown area:  close proximity to amazing golden beaches and the Blue Ridge Parkway, easier access to UNC sports, and the world's best BBQ among them.  But the things I miss most are my family and friends.

It's always great to reconnect on my trips back.
4) Given the chance, would you move back? Why?

I have many fond memories of growing up in North Carolina and thoroughly enjoy visiting with family and friends.  While I have no plans to move back to the Tar Heel state, my family and I do enjoy vacationing there frequently.
5.) What economic opportunity has your hometown lost?

One of the biggest economic losses for Roxboro and Person County has been the decades-long process of offshoring textile and other manufacturing jobs.  These industries were once the lifeblood of the community.
6.) What does your hometown not get enough credit for?

My hometown does not get enough credit for the ingenuity of its residents.  The residents have a way of finding new niches and industries to survive and thrive even as the economy seems to go against them.
Just see the new restaurant offerings, the sports bar and cafe.  They are a sign of the entreprenuerial spirit of the area, and America, which exists there.

Small, family-run businesses remain the backbone of the community and are one of the bright spots in today's recessionary economy.

Take Green's Jewelers, which is being run by a fifth-generation family member.  My brother and his wife both run small businesses as well.

Additional successes in luring new business to the area from overseas and elsewhere in the US comes from having a skilled, dedicated and determined workforce.

One recent example of this is the P&A Fabrications plant in Roxboro.  The startup company makes paint rollers in a plant long-run by auto supplier Collins & Aikman, which filed for bankruptcy protection after nearly 80 years of doing business in the area.

What's Happening in North Carolina

• N.C. Governor Gets Last Chance to Ease Mortgage Crisis
• N.C. Man Celebrates Half Century With Hallmark
• Report: N.C. Probation Policies Get Failing Grade
• N.C. Truckers Seek Union