Editing Scotland County, North Carolina (section)

==Economy==
Scotland County's economy is largely based in agriculture. Area farmers mostly grow corn, cotton, tobacco, and soybeans, and raise hogs. Forestry products including lumber and paper are also sourced in the county.<ref name= martin/> Manufacturing firms increased in the county after 1950.{{sfn|Stewart|Stewart|2001|p=7}} The local manufacturing industry produces textiles, cabinet accessories, mobile homes, hospital equipment,<ref name= martin/> and automotive parts.<ref name= nguyen>{{cite news| last = Nguyen| first = Britney| title = Scotland County, halfway between Charlotte and the NC coast, looks to distribution| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = June 15, 2021| url = https://borderbelt.org/scotland-county-halfway-between-charlotte-and-the-nc-coast-looks-to-distribution/| access-date = July 21, 2022}}</ref> Following a national trend, manufacturing—especially in textiles—has declined since 2000, damaging the economy of the county.<ref name= elder/><ref name= frosch>{{cite news| last = Frosch| first = Dan| title = A Poor North Carolina County Is Counting on Trump for a Comeback| newspaper = Wall Street Journal| date = March 3, 2025| url = https://www.wsj.com/us-news/a-poor-north-carolina-county-is-counting-on-trump-for-a-comeback-f6f1c82b?st=aGYhBF&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink| access-date = March 5, 2025}}</ref> In the early 2020s retail grew along the [[U.S. Route 74]] corridor.<ref name= nguyen/> As of 2023, health care/social assistance, education, public administration, and manufacturing are the five highest-employing sectors in the county.<ref>{{cite news| last = Sinclair| first = Tomeka| title = Scotland County's 6.7% July unemployment rate tops figures across state| newspaper = The Laurinburg Exchange| date = August 31, 2023| url = https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/news/260789/scotland-countys-6-7-july-unemployment-rate-tops-figures-across-state| access-date = September 3, 2023}}</ref> In its 2024 county economic tier ratings, the [[North Carolina Department of Commerce]] classified Scotland as the state's second-most economically distressed county.<ref name= skinner>{{cite web| last = Skinner| first = Victor| title = Edgecombe most distressed, Currituck the least in new tier designations| website = The Center Square| date = December 1, 2023| url = https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_95b82d3a-907e-11ee-9b07-d7a9397c4ff3.html| access-date = December 3, 2023}}</ref> It has long suffered from one of North Carolina's highest unemployment rates,<ref>{{cite news| last = Mildenberg| first = David| title = S.C. combat rations company adding 440 jobs in Scotland County| newspaper = Business North Carolina| date = October 18, 2022| url = https://businessnc.com/s-c-combat-rations-company-adding-440-jobs-in-scotland-county/| access-date = November 17, 2022}}</ref><ref name= nagemlaurinburg>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Here's how one North Carolina town is bringing its downtown back to life| newspaper = Border Belt Independent | date = March 24, 2022 | url = https://borderbelt.org/laurinburg-nc-revives-downtown/ | access-date = April 1, 2022}}</ref> with it having the highest rate at 5.6% in September 2024.<ref name= rappaport2>{{cite news| last = Rappaport| first = Ben| title = In major shift, Republicans gain majority on Scotland County Board of Commissioners| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = November 8, 2024| url = https://borderbelt.org/republicans-win-scotland-county-nc-commission/| access-date = November 10, 2024}}</ref> According to the American Community Survey, from 2017 to 2021 the estimated median household income was $39,866.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> The [[Child poverty in the United States|child poverty]] rate is 46 percent.<ref name=nagemhealth>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = The fight for better health (and health care) in rural North Carolina| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = May 9, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/fight-for-better-health-care-in-rural-nc/| access-date = November 28, 2022}}</ref>