This week, the City of Greensboro’s Planning Department released a report on several key economic measures pertaining to the growth and development of the city, and it found that, after a record-breaking year for the total value of building permits in 2023, Greensboro continued to consistently reach a very high level of building and development review in 2024.
In a nutshell: Like it or not, Greensboro is growing like kudzu.
There is a housing shortage; there’s a lot more traffic than there was 20 years ago; and what was once farmland is being gobbled up in order to make room for shopping centers and residential developments.
The new report from the city gives insights on recent local, regional and national trends by following metrics such as population density, demographics, income rates and more.
According to the new report from the city:
- Employment figures are back to pre-pandemic levels.
- The average wage of workers in Greensboro continues to increase.
- Greensboro remains the third largest city in North Carolina.
City of Greensboro Planning Director Sue Schwartz summed up what the study revealed: “Greensboro is still seeing substantial growth throughout the city. “This brings with it some challenges in terms of housing choices, an issue we will continue to focus on.”
Regarding the new report, Schwartz asked a forward looking question: “We are getting the growth we have been planning for…now what?
She added, “When we first started publishing the Growth and Development Trends report over a decade ago, Greensboro was in much different economic shape. We were one of the first cities in the state to feel the effects of the Great Recession and one of the last to recover.”
Now, it’s a completely different story, she remarked, a story that’s reflected in the numbers of the report.
In 2025, Greensboro continues to see strong job growth and new industrial investment. Just about every other week now, a large company or business announces that it’s coming to Greensboro or the surrounding area or that it is expanding with a multimillion-dollar investment.
“We are still ‘GreensBooming!’” she stated in the introduction to the new report, which can be found on the city’s website.
Schwartz said that’s good but it brings a lot of challenges.
It’s good because it’s lowering the local unemployment rate and increasing the median household incomes of city residents. What’s not so good, however, is that according to a study commissioned by the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association, the increase in jobs in Greensboro and the larger region is creating “an unprecedented demand for housing.”
The report states that, in Guilford County alone, more than 32,000 new residential units will be needed to meet increasing demand within the next five years.
That number includes both single- and multi-family homes and it also includes housing across all price points.
For some perspective, she noted, in 2024 Greensboro approved permits for only 1,500 units.
“It is more than just building more houses,” Schwartz stated. “We also need to be intentional about where and how we grow and add new neighbors. As a community we need to get comfortable with gentle density increases, a greater variety of housing choices, and appropriate infill development. We need to address barriers to building housing without compromising the health, safety, and general welfare of the public.”
Local leaders say the issue needs to be tackled on multiple fronts – and state and federal help is needed.
Also, the building, development and real estate industries in Greensboro and Guilford County must remain focused on the housing issue.
Greensboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brent Christensen told the Rhino Times recently that it’s terrific that companies across the country are waking up and really paying attention to Greensboro and the surrounding area as a great place to open up shop.
When asked if there could be such a thing as “too much growth” – which can bring subsequent problems – Christensen told the Rhino Times that that’s why it’s important the area’s infrastructure grow to support new populations and new economic activities.
He said an influx of businesses and people means a need for new schools to handle the new students, better transportation infrastructure to handle more traffic, and the provision of enough housing to support the surge in population.
Well, Whaddaya Know? You let in 11 million illegal immigrants and you have more people to deal with. Imagine that!
More biggoted bs from Austin. Hispanics only make up 10% of Guilford population yet Austin has been trained by conservative propaganda to direct your fear at a ‘false Enemy’ so conservatives can strip your rights as only THEY can ‘protect’ you from this false enemy.
But you be you.
——–
I don’t even know what you’re talking about. More people entering a country means there are more people to deal with. That’s a self-evident truth. Even an idiot can’t deny that.
Stop trying to target people with character assassination based on your prejudice and hatred. What I said is just true. So…. I am no bigot… but you might be.
I am talking about Guilford county. You know…the subject of the article. Guilford has not had a major influx of immigrants unless you have some other data source. Guilford has had 8 to 10 percent Hispanic pop for some time. But you your bias to jump and point to that as the cause in Guilford housing issues versus the real issue which is interest rates reducing capital for new home construction, increasing job growth, and inflation of building costs exceeding wage growth.
I stand by my characterization of your initial comment unless you have addition facts to back your assertion that immigrants are a primary cause of hosing shortage in Guilford County as you imply.
Chris You truly are a moron. Having been in the building trades for 40+ years, you will be hard pressed to find anyone OTHER than Hispanics on any construction site today. Yes there has been an invasion slowly but surely it’s happened.
**** “I stand by my characterization….” ! – Chrissy thinks he’s debating in the House of Commons or The Oxford Union ! He can hear the imaginary rapturous applause quite clearly in his head. And it’s a foregone conclusion that he “stands by” every claim he makes – because he’s never wrong, about anything, any time…. in that same little head where he hears his own adulation.
Can you say deluded narcissist?
Will, not sure we’re you thought I was talking Hispanics building houses…..we are talking about Hispanics Living in houses. Keep up.
Austin ducks actually responding again as he knows he can’t back up his biased opinion with facts yet again. Just more insults and personal attacks because that’s all he is good for…. Not shocked.
Chris I was talking about the 11 million illegals in America and Guilford County has its share of the invasion. If they were properly counted it would be more than 10%. That was my point. Keep up
you be me & i’ll be austin ! wut fun !
Thanks markle ! You’re crazy, but I like your off-the-wall comments.
I see a.lot of families in one room hotels paying over 800.00 for a room. They can’t afford the rent prices. So higher wages just doesn’t help when just a one room hotel room costs that much. That price only includes heat/air and you have to live there 6 months before you get the “deal” of 800.00.
So, the planning director saying, in response to an increase in growth, “We are getting the growth we have been planning for…now what?”
That is a question that should have been asked BEFORE enticing businesses here and increasing demand on housing and city services.
Sounds like poor planning to me; these demands on resources should have not only been addressed but proactively acted upon.
Result of a DIE hire? I don’t know but obviously the planning has fallen short.
If you want to look at the data and draw your own conclusions here is the link. Just not seeing the population as in other large NC cities. Look at the property tax comparison graph with other cities.
Be your own judge.
https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/58187/638428293945300000
Thanks. The most striking thing to me was that in the ten year period analysed (2013-23), the white population of Greensboro fell from 50% to 40% – and that 40% now includes a 10 percentage point component of Hispanics, so European-Americans now constitute just 30% of Greensboro’s population.
Just 30% white.
That bother you?
It should bother everyone, including Blacks. The White Europeans settled into this country. Please do not talk about the native people here. They were the last of the hunters and gatherers, the perfect symbiotic relationship between humans and the earth. Like all hunters and gatherers, unfortunately their days were numbered. I personally weep for the loss of their way of life. But the Europeans were involved in science, discovery and learning about the universe. They came together to build a nation unlike any other that had existed. Chris, puff out your chest about the increase in non-Whites in this country. But be ever mindful, there were no non-Whites writing or signing the Declaration of Independence, not one, and there were no non-Whites writing and signing the US Constitution, not one. The foundation of the United States was built by White Europeans. Everyone else has come here because of what White Europeans built. I would guess that includes you, Chris. My ancestors arrived here in 1676.
No non-whites signed the declaration of independence because almost all people of color in the US as the time were slaves. And if not enslaved had no legal rights.
Do you NOT appreciate the contributions of people of color in this country?! Maybe you need to pay more attention during black history month.
I think you have officially made the most ignorant statement in the history of Rhino Times online.
No, TermLimits has enunciated only the truth. But if you want to try to refute anything he has said, go ahead.
Not shocked Austin jumps onto this level of biggoted ignorance. I encourage you to participate more in black history month to better understand how people of color were marginalized from ANY participation in early American history YET still greatly contributed to much of our rich history of innovation and growth.
But you be you.
So you can’t refute ANYTHING Termlimits said.
Thought so.
Just spewing more “hate” and vitriol, and completely baseless smears.
But that’s you, isn’t it?
PS
Chrissy the Intellectual Giant who can’t even spell bigoted…. What a walking joke.
LOL, your bigotry deserves two Gs!!!
You have nothing.
Chris you’re big on black history month, tell me why don’t we have a Native American Month. Americans stole Their land
Huh? National American Indian Heritage Month is November every year.
we have nothing.
Public administration jobs salaries up 11.2% versus all other jobs at 2.2 including an offseting -11% in agriculture , mining, fishing and logging. Public Administration is basically a cost center which is funded with tax payer $. That’s always been a big part of the problem and getting worse.
Lived here for 45 years. The area is quickly becoming unlivable, crime, traffic, clearcutting development on every open plot of land. Wish I could move to a place in NC more civilized.
Pilot Mountain, Mt. Airy, and King are a few good places. Even the county seat of Surry County (Dobson) is small enough to attract a lot of people.
my prosecutor objected ! & the cop !
found myself . . . guilty as charged !
One thought that perplexes me, the politicians who encourage businesses to move here, the Chamber of Commerce that advocates for new businesses moving here, and all the businesses that decide to move here sing the praises of all the new jobs created. If that were true, why is there need for new housing if the employees hired by these new businesses hire local people? The simple answer must be that they are bringing in their own people or looking for employees from other areas rather than Greensboro. It is a well-known fact that Guilford County schools suck in so many ways. It is unconvincing that high tech jobs are being filled with local people. Therefore, these new businesses are building on open land, bringing in their own employees causing a need for housing to house these employees from other areas, causing high traffic volume, causing pollution, wreaking havoc on the infrastructure and causing disruption to the general population in the area. For what, jobs? No. It is for the politicians and for the people who benefit from this growth, e.g. developers. There should be a moratorium on any new businesses until infrastructure catches up with the current growth; or require the new businesses to pay for infrastructure needs caused by their presence.
You have pegged it 1000%…please spread your post on Next door…Yahoo local etc. Write a letter to the editor to the Greensboro daily fishwrap too…the liberals love it!
Don’t waste your time that letter will never see print.
You’re right, Will. I used to submit cogent and compelling letters to Allen Johnson (Editorial Page Editor, News & Record), but they rarely saw the light of day so I gave up. Let them marinate in their cozy Leftism. God forbid that a hard Right advocate speak.
This is for Chris. You need to learn the history of the United States. There was nothing in my above comments that were not factual. You just don’t like reading the facts, especially if the facts do you agree with your frame of mind.
As far as Black History Month is concerned, I have never understood why an entire month is devoted to a history that revolves around almost entirely one subject, civil rights. There are only just so many nuances around civil rights that can be talked about. Without anything new, it is just the same old, same old. As far as civil rights are concerned, if a visitor from outer space visited during February, the space visitor could conclude that Blacks were deprived of all civil rights prior to 1965. You know and I know that is simply not true.
Correct ! Chrissy has failed to refute a single word you said – so he just throws mud, like a little child having a tantrum.
Do you have any sense of how many people are moving here but not for the new jobs? This comment makes it sound like 100% of the growth in Greensboro is exclusively for these newly located businesses. Anecdotally, I know a lot of people that have moved here just because they like living here and not necessarily for a newly relocated business.
You raise a valid question. Consider why people may be moving to Greensboro: Retirees because NC does not tax Social Security; older individuals who want to live near children and grandchildren who already live in the area; employees who were transferred here by their employer unrelated to companies incentivized to move here with taxpayer money; illegal immigrants because Guilford County is a sanctuary county, which includes Greensboro; the homeless because Guilford County and Greensboro are generous to the homeless; and companies moving here that are bringing in their own employees and recruiting nationally for other hires. Balance the newcomers with people who are moving out of the area for whatever reason. What is certain, people who are moving here are NOT moving here for our failing schools. People who are moving here are NOT moving here because the area is safe. People are not moving here for well-run governments. If there is a current and dire need for new housing, where are the people in need of housing living now? Are they homeless? It is my opinion that the government, the real estate industry, and developers hype the housing needs for their own enrichment. jt, you are correct, 100% of the population growth is not the result of the taxpayer incentivized companies moving here. But wouldn’t it be good to know why people are moving here. If I were a politician, I would want to know.
it’s better here than where they’re from or at ? builders need to build to make a living & always will if it looks profitable to them. this ‘report’ is unnecessary because ‘feasibility’ is in every builders mind 24/7. this area has never seen ‘hard times’. let’s ‘incentivize’ urban renewal housing/retail/commercial.
You are confusing builders’ desire to be enriched with the role of elected politicians. Developers and builders need growth information to make decisions that may result in profits. This is called a business plan. Elected officials need growth information to make decisions for infrastructure needs and for the betterment of its residents. Older individuals moving here to be near their children are most likely not in need of the school system. Individuals who moved here because of job requirements are more likely to have higher incomes and are more likely to have children. Knowing the number of illegal immigrants living among us is important as those numbers affect an increase in social services demands paid for by taxpayers.
true but builders put their skin in the game while elected politicians exhort & pander ?
so what is the synthesis ? why are builders not building much with this huge demand ? cost of borrowing, excess or lack of regulation, cost/availability of materials . . . . ? something is missing in this story ?
fishermen: remain focused on the fishing issue ! i have spoken !