The North Carolina Department of Commerce has designated Burke County as a Tier 1 county for 2026, one of 18 counties statewide to experience a tier change this year. County leaders emphasize that Burke County’s local economy continues to strengthen, and that the Tier change reflects statewide comparisons—not local decline. The county residents should view Tier 1 not as a label but as leverage, as it gives Burke County Access to new tools to accelerate the progress the current board is already making.
The State’s tier formula evaluates unemployment rate, median household income, population growth, and property tax base per capita. Because rankings are relative, a county can improve locally but still shift tiers if other counties grow faster.
There are key factors in Burke’s tier change that we all need to consider to understand the big picture.
The most influential factor was the 12-month unemployment average, which captured the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The storm temporarily disrupted business operations, slowed hiring, and affected workforce availability across western North Carolina. Counties such as Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood, and Madison experienced impacts at least as severe as those in Burke. Burke County stands out among those counties, though, with unique partnerships with Burke Development Incorporated and the Drexel projects.
Burke County is seeing steady wage growth, in-migration, and a 27% increase in new single-family home permits. However, major metropolitan areas, such as the Triad Region, saw unprecedented hiring and wage gains driven by transformational announcements, technology expansions, and advanced manufacturing projects.
Burke County’s property tax base ranking improved by 26 positions, reflecting continued private investment, stable valuations, and commercial expansion. You can’t fake a 26-position jump in tax base rankings. Burke County is investing, building, and attracting growth.
County Commissioners have prioritized economic development, infrastructure, and workforce readiness—and the results are showing:
· Construction of Burke County’s first-ever Class A industrial shell building utilizing The Burke County Industrial Park at Kathy Road and Exit 100.
· Major investments in water, sewer, and housing infrastructure
· Advancement of aviation assets and airport development to support future industry needs
· Targeted recruitment of advanced manufacturing, technology, and automation industries
· Collaborative product development efforts in Eastern Burke, Drexel, and strategic growth areas
These initiatives directly support long-term population, workforce, and wage growth—core drivers of future tier performance.
The Bottom Line
“Burke County is improving, and the data clearly shows economic momentum,” said County Commission Chairman Jeff Brittain. “The Tier 1 designation reflects temporary workforce impacts from Hurricane Helene and a statewide comparison during a year of exceptional growth in North Carolina’s largest counties. Our long-term strategy is working, and Tier 1 status will be an immediate operational advantage that gives us access to additional state and federal resources that will accelerate our progress.” County Manager Brian Epley points out that “This is not a report card-it’s a scoreboard in a game where rules favor big city blowouts. Burke is playing a smarter, longer game-and winning on the fundamentals.”