What Will North Carolina Look Like In 2050?

WUNC | By Xernay Aniwar,

Published October 27, 2017 at 11:43 AM EDT

A new book examines what NC will look like in 2050, including how virtual reality may become a part of people's everyday lives.

For years North Carolina has been one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. This growth has had a profound impact on the state’s environment, government and economy.

North Carolina State University economist Michael Walden talks with host Frank Stasio about North Carolina's economic future.

North Carolina State University economistMichael Walden examined the trends and created projections for what North Carolina will look like in 2050. He outlines them in the new book “North Carolina Beyond the Connected Age: The Tar Heel State in 2050” (The University of North Carolina Press/2017). He considers how better connected urban areas like “Charlanta” could become regional hubs for economic activity and how technical innovations could stop the flow of people and wealth from rural areas.

Host Frank Stasio talks with Walden about virtual reality in the workplace, climate change, and what he thinks North Carolina should be doing to boost the economy.