New Data Shows Demographic Shifts in Western North Carolina

WUNC News | By Laura Pellicer,

Published November 3, 2016 at 12:33 PM EDT

A view of the Blue Ridge Parkway on October 11, 2016 north of Devil's Couthouse in western North Carolina.

U.S. Census data for Western North Carolina show variance in poverty and education between counties.

New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau paints a complex picture of the changing demographics in western North Carolina. Carolina Public Press managing editor Frank Taylor sifted through the data to find trends in poverty, education, and employment, as well as to undercover political implications of the area's demographic makeup.A conversation with Carolina Public Press managing editor Frank Taylor about Western Carolina's changing demographics.

Host Frank Stasio talks with Taylor about the findings and their implications for Election Day.

Laura Pellicer

Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.

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Frank Stasio

Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.

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