Editing Rocky Mount, North Carolina (section)

==Economy==
[[File:SouthernBankBC.jpg|thumb|[[Southern Bank]] Business Center in downtown Rocky Mount]]
[[File:NCDMV.jpg|thumb|[[North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles]] headquarters]]

The economy of the [[Rocky Mount metropolitan area]], historically dependent on agriculture and textile manufacturing, has diversified into pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. As the city is located near the juncture of a number of highways and railway, distribution and logistics are important to local businesses. The area has a strong service sector and a number of financial and customer support centers are located here.<ref name="Econ">{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Corey|title=Area economy poised for growth|url=http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2018/01/14/Area-economy-poised-for-growth-in-future.html |website=[[Rocky Mount Telegram]]|access-date=May 18, 2018|date=March 2, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Econ2">{{cite news |url=http://businessnc.com/the-nash-edgecombe-economy-heats-up/ |last=Blake |first=Kathy |title=The Nash-Edgecombe economy heats up |publisher=Business North Carolina |date=July 30, 2018 |access-date=April 9, 2019}}</ref>

Rocky Mount is located {{convert|45|mi|km|abbr=on}} from the state capital [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]] and the associated [[Research Triangle]]. This has helped attract new companies to Rocky Mount seeking skilled labor and a lower costs of living and doing business.<ref name="Econ"/>

The metropolitan area was named in a 2020 study as the third-highest in the United States where manufacturing is thriving, with a manufacturing output of $6.2 billion, or $42,270 per capita. Between 2014 and 2018, manufacturing grew in the Rocky Mount area by 11.8%, and there were 108% more manufacturing jobs than the national average.<ref name="AdvisorSmith">{{cite web |last=Qin |first=Johan |title=Top Cities Where U.S. Manufacturing is Thriving |url=https://advisorsmith.com/data/top-cities-where-u-s-manufacturing-is-thriving/ |website=AdvisorSmith |date= January 23, 2020 |access-date=May 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/business/city-receives-high-ranking-for-manufacturing |last=Carney |first=Spencer |title=City receives high ranking for manufacturing |newspaper=Rocky Mount Telegram |date=February 9, 2020 |access-date=May 14, 2020}}</ref>

In 2019, [[CSX Transportation]] began construction of a $200 million cargo terminal in Rocky Mount.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Corey|title=CSX plans for property still unclear|url=http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2018/03/02/CSX-plans-for-property-still-unclear.html|website=[[Rocky Mount Telegram]]|access-date=May 18, 2018|date=March 2, 2018}}</ref><ref name="CSX"/>

===Largest employers===
Below is a list of some of the largest employers in the metropolitan area as of 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Major Employers in Rocky Mount MSA (Edgecombe & Nash) 2018|url=https://www.econdev.org/Portals/35/Rocky%20Mount,%20NC%20MSA%20Major%20Employers%20Edgecombe%20Nash%20Counties.pdf|website=econdev.org|access-date=April 19, 2019}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! No. of employees
|-
|1
|[[Pfizer]]
|3,200<ref name=Pfizer>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Pfizer Announces Post-Tornado Relief Plans for Rocky Mount Community and Manufacturing Facility |url=https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-post-tornado-relief-plans-rocky-mount |location= |publisher=Pfizer |agency=Pfizer |date=2023-07-21 |access-date=2023-07-21}}</ref> 
|-
|2
|[[Nash-Rocky Mount Schools System|Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools]]
|2,275
|-
|3
|[[Cummins]]–Rocky Mount Engine Plant
|1,800
|-
|4
|[[Nash UNC Health Care]]
|1,600
|-
|5
|[[Edgecombe County Public Schools]]
|1,100
|-
|6
| [[QVC]] Distribution center
|1,100
|-
|7
|[[CenturyLink]]
|1,000
|-
|8
|[[Sara Lee Corporation|Sara Lee Frozen Bakery]]
|950
|-
|9
|[[Expert Global Solutions|Alorica]]
|885
|-
|10
|City of Rocky Mount 
|850
|-
|}

===Shopping===
Rocky Mount is a regional shopping destination with many big-box retailers and specialty shops located in the city. Rocky Mount's shopping centers are generally congregated along and around [[US 301 (NC)|US 301]] (Wesleyan Boulevard). Two examples are [[Golden East Crossing]] and Englewood Square.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.goldeneastcrossing.com/ |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=Golden East Crossing |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Englewood Square Shopping Center – Rocky Mount, NC {{!}} America's Realty |url=https://www.americasrealtyllc.com/property/englewood-square-shopping-center/ |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=www.americasrealtyllc.com}}</ref>

In the downtown, the Douglas Block is a commercial area that was a former African-American business district.<ref>{{cite web|title=Downtown Redevelopment-Rocky Mount's Douglas Block|url=https://ced.sog.unc.edu/downtown-redevelopment-rocky-mounts-douglas-block/ |website=Community and Economic Development |access-date=November 16, 2016}}</ref> Station Square is a shopping area located next to city hall and the train station.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Corey |title=Additions planned at Station Square |url=http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2017/09/08/Additions-planned-at-Station-Square.html |website=[[Rocky Mount Telegram]] |access-date=April 10, 2019 |date=September 8, 2017}}</ref>