Union and Gaston counties sit on opposite sides of Mecklenburg County and are both being reshaped by the Charlotte region’s rapid growth. But residents are reporting sharply different levels of well-being.
Local leaders say the counties’ different histories, growth patterns and economic conditions help explain why residents may experience the region differently.
But a new UNC Charlotte study examining individual well-being across 14 counties in the Charlotte region placed Union County in first place and Gaston in 14th, reporting sharp differences in financial security and emotional well-being. About 76% of Union County residents reported high well-being, compared with about 61% in Gaston County, according to findings presented this month by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute as part of its State of Our Region research…