I was flipping through the latest Q2 2025 Economic Development Activity Report from the EDPNC, and a few things really stood out. These reports are always packed with big numbers, but this quarter had some surprises I didn’t expect.
Here’s what caught my eye:
- Energy and Aerospace topped the charts
I would’ve guessed tech or life sciences—but Energy led all sectors with over $10B in investment, and Aerospace came in second with $5.4B. That’s a huge signal that North Carolina is becoming a serious player in both. - The Sandhills region outpaced everyone
I had to double-check this one: the Sandhills pulled in $10.2B in capital investment—more than any other region. Not Raleigh, not Charlotte. Of course, $10B was the single announcement by Amazon, but other investments will follow that one. - Piedmont-Triad and Southwest NC are on the move
The Piedmont-Triad region landed $5.8B, and the Southwest (Charlotte area) brought in nearly $1.3B. Clearly, investors are seeing long-term potential in areas outside the usual hotspots.
In case you don’t know what is in the Sandhills region, here are some places to keep an eye on: Fayetteville, Rockingham, Southern Pines, Pinehurst, Whiteville, and Elizabethtown. Fayetteville is already on our radar.
North Carolina continues to punch above its weight—and the fact that investment is spreading into more regions and more sectors is a great sign for real estate, especially in workforce housing and neighborhood retail. If the second half of the year is anything like the first, it’s going to be an exciting time to be investing here.
Doug Kline, PhD, has held income properties in North Carolina for more than 20 years. He holds a North Carolina broker’s license, and is a member of the National Association of Realtors and the Triangle Real Estate Investors Association. He holds an MBA and a PhD in business. In addition to his real estate activities, Doug enjoyed a successful career in academia, achieving the rank of Full Professor in the Cameron School of Business at UNC Wilmington. He was honored with research and teaching awards, served as Director of the MS Computer Science and Information Systems program, and was awarded the endowed position Distinguished Professor of Information Systems.