Fayetteville serves as the county seat for Cumberland County. This award-winning city is most known for being the home of Fort Bragg. It is the largest city by population in the southeastern region of the state.

Fayetteville Population and Labor Statistics

Fort Bragg and Pope Field drive Fayetteville’s economy, bringing in about $4.5 billion annually. The city is also a hub in the region for health care, entertainment, services, lodging, and shops. Fayetteville has a meager unemployment rate. Fort Bragg is the city’s largest employer, providing jobs to over 15,000 people. Other top employers in Fayetteville include the Cumberland County Public School System, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Wal-Mart and Good Year Tire.

Fayetteville Population Growth

The city has seen impressive population growth throughout the years. Despite some drops in population during the 1800s, the 1900s and 2000s have brought nothing but growth. The city passed 50,000 residents by the time of the 1970 census. This number had risen significantly in 1990, with the population showing over 75,000 residents. The 2000 census reflected even more growth, pushing the total population count past 121,000. The annexation of Fort Bragg contributed to a significant increase by the next census, which recorded more than 200,000 living in Fayetteville. Recent estimates show that the population boom has dropped off a bit, growing just 2.1% since the last census in 2010. However, the low unemployment rates, Fort Bragg and other employment opportunities, and the revitalization of Fayetteville are sure to help continue to boost these rates into the future.

Before the city of Fayetteville was settled by Europeans, it was first inhabited by many tribes, including the Shakori, Waccamaw and Eno tribes – to name a few. Prior even to this, other indigenous people occupied the land for over 12,000 years.

Settlement in the area around the Cape Fear River was encouraged following the Tuscarora and Yamasee Wars. Scots were the first Europeans to settle the area. They created two settlements – Cross Creek and Campbellton. In 1783, the two settlements were unified and given the name Fayetteville.

The 1780s brought much activity to Fayetteville. It was here where the US Constitution was ratified. The first church was built in the late 1700s by Henry Evans. By 1820, about 3,500 residents were living in Fayetteville. While this was a large number, it still trailed behind Wilmington. Fayetteville had a setback in 1831 with a “Great Fire” that destroyed homes, businesses and public buildings. The leaders of Fayetteville reacted quickly to rebuild the city.

In 1865, Fayetteville was attacked during the civil war. Foundries and factories were destroyed during this attack. During World War II, Fort Brag became the site of the Field Artillery and served as a base to approximately 5,000 soldiers. It was in 2008 when the city of Fayetteville annexed most of Fort Bragg, which significantly increased its population.

In the 20th century was when Fayetteville’s population began to grow. Cumberland County’s population soared by 43%. As the city’s population continued to grow, so did the city itself with the construction of new suburban homes, shopping centers, and other structures.

Today, the city is working on multiple revitalization projects throughout the city, particularly its downtown area. It continues to bring in visitors and residents with the addition of parks, museums, retail shops, and other attractions. The city is home to many large companies including Wal-Mart and General Dynamics. The city itself continues to grow, as do the surrounding suburban areas.