Concord, NC
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There are many factors that contribute to the overall health of a community, including: income and poverty thresholds, the debt ratio, and the crime rate. But perhaps one of the most critical factors is the access to health care. This article takes a look at the overall health of Concord, North Carolina – both of the community and its residents.
Concord, NC is located near the center of Cabarrus County, with a total population of about eighty-thousand people. The city lies about 15 minutes northeast of Charlotte, NC and is in close proximity to the I-85 interstate, making Concord, North Carolina one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Due to its growth, Concord is in the process of building a new City Hall. The population of this once small town has grown rapidly from nearly seventeen thousand in 1980 to over eighty thousand today. The original city hall was demolished in 1957, and since then government has been operating out of a small municipal building and several downtown buildings. The new City Hall will consolidate Concord’s government under one building, and construction is expected to be completed by December 2015.
In 1980, Concord, NC contained just over 9.6 square miles of land. Today, the modernized city contains just over sixty square miles of land, according to a 2013 census estimate. Concord, North Carolina was founded in 1796, but wasn’t incorporated until 1806. Very few records remain of the city’s early history and government.
The city of Concord houses the Cabarrus County Courthouse, which was completed in 1876 as a replacement for the original town courthouse, which was destroyed by a fire in 1875. Concord, NC is known for its rolling hills and bountiful forests. Land that is left undeveloped will quickly be reclaimed by the forest within a matter of years.
Concord, North Carolina has an average temperature of about 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and about 79 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. While temperatures can drop into the teens at night in the winter, they often return to above freezing during the day. In the summertime, it is not uncommon for daytime temperatures to reach well into the upper nineties, with nights being mildly cool. Concord, NC is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan area, and is the largest city in Cabarrus County.
The city of Concord, North Carolina has ample entertainment, warm summer nights, and plenty of rainfall throughout the year, with more rain failing in the summer than in the winter. The two driest months of the year are April and February, and the city sits at an elevation of 706 feet above sea level. Prevailing winds typically come to Concord, NC from the southwest, which brings warm and moist air across the city and county. Cabarrus County, the primary county in which Concord lies, has a population of about 184,498 people. The county experiences four distinct seasons but is known to have mild weather all year round due to the prevailing winds.
If moderate weather and mild seasons are to your liking, then travelling to one of these top 10 favorite destinations in and around Concord, NC may be of interest. Favorites among locals and visitors to the city include:
- Concord Mills Mall
- Great Wolf Lodge
- Kannapolis Intimidators (a local basketball team affiliated with the Chicago White Sox)
- Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Drag Way
- NASCAR Race Shops
- Sam Bass Gallery (NASCAR History)
- The Dale Trail
- North Carolina Music Hall of Fame
- Reed Gold Mine
- Union Street in Historic Downtown Concord
The city of Concord is perhaps best known for being home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, which opened in 1959 and is used by NASCAR for research and development. Because of the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s location, Cabarrus County has come to be known as the county “where racing lives”, and is home to racing legend Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Another major attraction in Concord, NC is the Concord Mills Mall, which is home to over 200 stores and retail outlets.
In addition to the above activities, there are a ton of local restaurants, hot spots, shopping destinations, historical monuments, nightlife, family fun activities and even spa and healing centers located in Concord, NC. North Carolina, and particularly Cabarrus County, is known to have a variety of activities that suit any type of person, regardless of their taste in food, entertainment and lodging preferences.
Historic downtown Concord, North Carolina is full of old world charm. Two theaters, a museum, a library, two art galleries and numerous antique shops are packed into the radius of two city blocks. There are also specialty shops and numerous restaurants. The history of downtown Concord, NC dates back over 200 years. The name Concord means “harmony” and reflects the spirit in which the city was settled, after an initial dispute over where to place the seat of Cabarrus County.
The population of both Concord, NC and its surrounding counties has been steadily increasing since 2000, thus giving Concord, NC and Cabarrus County a higher population density than the national and state average. Along with an ever increasing population density, this particular region has also seen an increase in the median household income of 15.82% since the year 2000, with a cost of living that is approximately seven percent lower than the United States average. The unemployment rate in Concord, North Carolina is also lower than that of the national average, at just four percent.
However, despite these positive statistics, the residents of Concord, North Carolina still have an income growth rate that is lower than the overall state average of 18.54%, and the national average of 26.32%. Yet, housing in Concord, NC remains in high demand, driving the price of homes up higher than the state average. The explosion in the growth rate to the area has helped the economy in Concord, NC to thrive. This city has a diverse economy consisting of manufacturing, transportation and shipping, banking and motorsports. Although, it was cotton and the success of the cotton market that ultimately led to the city’s growth during its founding.
With regards to the economy of Cabarrus County, the price of housing and the value associated with housing assets has increased by 41.21% since 2000. This increase, although lower than the national average, is higher than the state average by $20,000. This can be contributed to the fact that the population density has risen in the past decade, and therefore prices have also risen with the influx of more money into the county’s economy.
The overall health of citizens in Concord, North Carolina is also improving. A 2014 county health report looked at vital factors such as obesity, access to healthy food, employment and income to determine the overall health of counties in North Carolina. With regards to Cabarrus County, the county moved up in rank from 10th to 9th in health outcomes, which is a slight improvement. Although it’s important to note that Cabarrus did improve in a lot of areas, including a reduction in teen births, lower unemployment, and improved patient to doctor ratios.
With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, residents of Concord, NC who do did not have access to affordable private insurance, or health insurance through their employer, were given a whole new set of health insurance options. The Affordable Care Act offers Concord, North Carolina locals the opportunity to purchase health insurance plans that offer comprehensive coverage at affordable prices. Federal assistance is even available in the form of subsidies to help qualifying low-income individuals and families to pay for the cost of health insurance plans.
Residents of Concord, NC can learn more about the health insurance options available to them through ACA, as well as get a free health insurance quote, by clicking on the “Free Rate Quote” button on this webpage, or by talking to one of the knowledgeable agents at The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store.
Residents of Cabarrus County who live outside of the city can also get free, personal help selecting and enrolling in a Concord, NC health insurance plan from The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store. Our agents are available to answer your questions over the phone and help you to get the best health insurance quote in North Carolina.
Local agents at The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store understand that figuring out what options and decisions you need to make on your insurance can be difficult. Our experienced team can analyze the numerous options available and narrow them down to ones that best fit your needs. If you weren’t able to afford insurance in the past or aren’t satisfied with your existing plan, give us a call! We are your one stop shop for navigating through the North Carolina health insurance plans available under the Affordable Care Act, and our services are available at no additional cost to you!
