WADESBORO — Every year since 2007, counties throughout North Carolina are put through a tier ranking from the Department of Commerce to help calculate funding. Anson County stays in Tier One, the most distressed, for 2021.
Out of the 100 counties in N.C., 40 are placed into Tier One, 40 into Two Tier and 20 into Tier Three, unless there is a tie. In that instance, both counties will be placed into the lower tier.
Rankings are calculated by four different factors: average unemployment rate, median household income, percentage growth in population and adjusted property tax base per capita.
From 2019 to 2020, only four counties moved into a more distressed ranking. Now in a pandemic year, 11 counties are moving to a more distressed area for 2021. Those counties are most likely shifting to a more distressed tier due to the county’s unemployment rate, according to the Department of Commerce’s published rankings.
Of course with coronavirus gripping her hands on families many were left without jobs or income for a majority of the year, leading to a significant change in the unemployment rate.
Anson County saw a 1.99% increase of unemployment from Nov. through Oct. just two years apart.
The adjusted property tax base per capita increased by $4,828, while the median household income decreased.
Last year’s report included the median household income from 2017, which was $41,266. Now, that number comes from 2018 and is $38,023.
The report also ranks every county from one to 100, with one being the most distressed. On that list, Anson comes in at 14.
The surrounding counties come in all over the place on the ranking. Union County is number 97, close to being the least distressed, Stanly County comes in at 73, while Richmond is ranked as more distressed than Anson at number eight.
Reach Liz O’Connell at 704-994-5471 or at eoconnell@ansonrecord.com. Follow on Twitter at @TheAnsonRecord.
