Editing Tabor City, North Carolina (section)

==Economic conditions==
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Since the 1970s, Tabor City has been beset by poverty and high unemployment, especially as the agricultural based economy of the past was no longer viable.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncruralcenter.org/|title=NC Rural Center &#124; Building Vibrant Rural Communities|website=NC Rural Center}}</ref> Today, the town focuses on agriculture, light manufacturing, retail and tourism. A large state prison provides many jobs for the area.  The town is served by two grocery stores, three drug stores, a number of restaurants, three banks and a credit union. Overall, the town has seen a steady decline in the commercial sector over the past 30 odd years.  The downtown was thriving through the eighties, and since then it has seen vacant storefronts become more common, with dilapidated buildings throughout the downtown area. Poor city planning has industrial sites scattered throughout the small town with all residents impacted by heavy commercial and industrial traffic.  This has significantly impacted residential property values throughout the town.  The Tabor City Chamber of Commerce maintains a both a [[Facebook]] presence and its own website.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/nc/taborcitychamber/index.html |title=TABOR TALK – The go to place for what is happening in Tabor City, NC |publisher=Angelfire.com |access-date=April 22, 2014}}</ref> The town has also upgraded its water, sewer and roads, in hopes of attracting new businesses but little has materialized.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncruralcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=290:small-towns-p-ii-tabor-sity&catid=48 |title=North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center, Inc |publisher=Ncruralcenter.org |access-date=April 22, 2014}}</ref> As of January 2022, the poverty rate is 47%, with a per capita income of $12,555 (national per capita income is $29,829).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tabor City, NC Employment - Median Household Income, Unemployment Rate|url=https://www.areavibes.com/tabor+city-nc/employment/|website=[[AreaVibes]]}}</ref>  In 2019, the town manager was paid $127,923 according to public records. This salary is 308 percent higher than average.<ref name="auto5"/>

The Tabor City Industrial Park is located just northwest of town, a 36-acre certified industrial site perfect for small to medium-sized users seeking 5 to 10 acres of land. Existing tenants include a small packaging warehouse and the Tabor City Business Development Center, while most of the property has sat vacant for most of the existence of the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbusedc.com/available-property/tabor-industrial-park |title=Tabor Industrial Park – Columbus County Economic Development Commission |publisher=Columbusedc.com |access-date=April 22, 2014}}</ref><ref name="gethifi">{{cite web|url=http://files.columbuscounty.gethifi.com/available-property/tabor-industrial-park/Tabor_Industrial_Park_Web.pdf|date=November 16, 2009|title=Tabor Industrial Park|access-date=December 6, 2014}}</ref> 
 
A packaging company, owner and publisher of the ''Tabor-Loris Tribune'', founded in 1946, continues to be a major employer for the area.<ref name="atlanticpkg">{{cite web|url=http://atlanticpkg.com/company|title=Welcome|publisher=atlanticpkg.com|access-date=December 6, 2014}}</ref> It has sites throughout the town with almost every residential area being interspersed with industrial sites and associated traffic. They also operate a large facility offshore in the Dominican Republic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlanticpkg.com/people_location/boca-chica/|title=Boca Chica Archives|website=Atlantic Packaging}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tabor-loris.com/editionviewer/?Edition=74c292f4-19f1-44be-8682-edf0108d4952&Section=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012065346/http://www.tabor-loris.com/editionviewer/?Edition=74c292f4-19f1-44be-8682-edf0108d4952&Section=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 12, 2014|title=Tabor-Loris Tribune – September 17, 2014|publisher=tabor-loris.com|access-date=December 6, 2014}}</ref>

R.J. Corman Railroad Group operates the rail line servicing the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rjcorman.com/|title=Home &#124; R. J. Corman Railroad Group|website=www.rjcorman.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://whiteville.com/railroads-henderson-addresses-county-leaders/ |title=The News Reporter &#124; Henderson: Railroad to create 30 new local jobs &#124; Local. News. Now. |access-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910061221/http://whiteville.com/railroads-henderson-addresses-county-leaders/ |archive-date=September 10, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wect.com/story/29652747/done-deal-railroad-that-serves-columbus-county-changes-hands|title=Done Deal: Railroad that serves Columbus County changes hands|website=www.wect.com|date=July 29, 2015 }}</ref>