At a glance: North Carolina North Carolina is the 9th most populous state in the U.S., with 10,835,491 residents across its 53,819 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state ranked No. 2 for business in 2024 by CNBC. North Carolina is home to one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas, the Research Triangle. The state’s biggest economic industries are healthcare, finance, manufacturing, professional services, and agriculture. Energy North Carolina ranks No. 25 among states for most energy production, with its leading production sources being nuclear, natural gas, and wood/waste, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The state ranks No. 35 for most energy consumption per capita, with leading energy sources consumed being motor gasoline, natural gas, and nuclear power. North Carolinians’ residential electricity rate is $0.152/kWh, below the national average. The commercial electricity rate is also lower; North Carolina commercial users pay $0.096/kWh, compared to the national average commercial rate of $0.1259/kWh. Industrial users pay $0.071/kWh, lower than the national average industrial electricity rate of $0.0804/kWh. North Carolinians’ residential natural gas price is $17.33 per thousand cubic feet, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Environment Since 1970, annual carbon emissions in North Carolina increased 20 percent, while the state’s population soared 90 percent during the same span. The population is projected to increase another 33 percent, to 14 million residents, by 2050. The federal government lists 68 species in North Carolina as threatened or endangered.
