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Building Vibrant Communities

The NC Rural Center’s mission is to develop, promote, and implement sound economic strategies to improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians. We serve the state’s 78 rural counties, with a special focus on people with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources.

Hurricane Helene Response
Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented flooding and damage in North Carolina, much of it in rural communities. The Rural Center has compiled an evolving list of resources to help people in need of assistance. If you have an existing loan with Thread Capital and your business has been impacted by Hurricane Helene, please call 919-250-4314 or email us at connect@threadcap.org.

News & Stories

Learn more about what we're doing at the NC Rural Center. Catch up on our latest news, client profiles, impact stories, research and press releases. 

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Rural Roots: A Legacy of Service in North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives

As Nelle Hotchkiss tells it, she blew into North Carolina with Hurricane Fran in Fall 1996. The Raleigh area — and much of the state — was in shambles. “I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, what have I gotten myself into?’” says Hotchkiss, a Richmond, Va., native who had come from working with electric cooperatives in […] Advocacy, Board of Directors

Prime Numbers


1.64 million people in the rural labor force (annual average) in 2023
44 thousand business applications in rural counties in 2023
3.7% unemployment rate for rural counties (annual average) in 2023
22% of rural residents are 65 years or older
Rural residents have an average per capita personal income of 53,362 dollars Elkin Town Hall Cherry Trees

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