North Carolina continues to be home to some of America's fastest-growing large counties coming out of the pandemic era, per an Axios analysis of the latest census data.

• But much of the state's rural east continues to shrink significantly.

Why it matters: Recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show which parts of North Carolina are booming and which parts are struggling to keep residents.

Zoom in: Counties around the state's two largest cities of Raleigh and Charlotte still attract a large number of people thanks to their thriving economies. But so do certain parts of the coast and mountains, including areas around Wilmington and Asheville.

• The state's two fastest-growing counties — Johnston County (18.5% population growth) and Brunswick County (15%) — were both among the 50 fastest-growing in the country in the latest data, which compared the five-year average populations from 2014-2018 and 2019-2023.
• The state's largest county, Wake, saw its population grew by 10%, increasing from an average of about 1 million in 2014-2018 to about 1.2 million in 2019-2023.
• Mecklenburg County jumped by 7.3% in the comparison between the two averages. Neighboring Cabarrus, home to Concord, jumped 14.8% — tied for third-highest among North Carolina's 100 counties.

At the same time, Robeson County along Interstate 95 saw the largest decline of any U.S. county with a population more than 100,000 people, with its population falling 12.4%.

• Eastern North Carolina's counties have struggled in recent years after being hit by a succession of hurricanes, and many those counties also have higher unemployment rates than the state average.

Roughly one-fifth of North Carolina's residents now live in its five largest cities — Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Winston-Salem — according to Carolina Demography.

• Those cities have benefitted from internal migration within North Carolina to where jobs are, but they've also attracted many new-to-NC residents.

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Advent International, a Boston-based private equity firm, will acquire Sauer Brands Inc. — the parent company of Duke's Mayonnaise — from Falfurrias Capital Partners, the Charlotte firm founded by former bank execs including Hugh McColl and Marc Oken. (🔒 Observer)

New England Investment Partners, a real estate investment firm, has purchased the 32-story tower at 121 W. Trade St. in Uptown from LPC Realty Advisors, according to a statement from CBRE, which negotiated the sale. The late December purchase price was $32 million, property records show — less than half what it previously sold for in 2015, CBJ noted.

• Built in 1990, the tower, which recently underwent renovations, houses Reid's Fine Foods, Charlotte City Club and The Cut Barbershop, and was 51% leased at the time of the sale, per CBRE.

Artistry Restaurants, a Florida-based group, has acquired Hickory Tavern, the 20-unit casual restaurant chain based in Charlotte, according to a statement from the local group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

If you're on the hunt for a new job, here are 10 to get you started.

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Here we go, hoagie lovers. Wawa is adding up to 10 more stores in North Carolina this year, from the eastern part of the state to the Triangle.

Why it matters: The Pennsylvania-based convenience store has an avid fan base that rivals that of an SEC football team. And it's been expanding into North Carolina since opening its first store in the state last spring on the Outer Banks.

Driving the news: By the end of 2025, Wawa will add new stores in Hope Mills, Garner, Fayetteville, Jacksonville, Greenville, Wilson and Goldsboro, according to a recent statement from the company.

• The brand did not provide specific addresses for its future locations.

Yes, but: A Wawa spokesperson would not say whether or when the company will debut in major cities like Charlotte or Raleigh.

Zoom out: Buc-ee's, a rival convenience store chain with a similarly feverish following, will open its first North Carolina location in late 2026 or early 2027 in Mebane, WXII reported.

What's next: Over the next eight to 10 years, Wawa plans to build and open six to eight stores per year in North Carolina, reaching a total of 90 stores in the state, per the company.

Keep reading about Wawa's North Carolina expansion