By Laura Keeter

Daily Times Staff Writer

Developers say Wilson's higher population count may help bring in more chain restaurants and coveted businesses.

The 2000 census bore good news for Wilson: A 20 percent jump in the city's population increased it to 44,405 -- within "striking distance" of the 50,000 population target, as City Manager Ed Wyatt put it.

A city is considered a metropolitan area when its population reaches 50,000.

That's good news because many restaurants and businesses won't consider locating to a city until it reaches 50,000 in population, said Ed Etheridge, president of Etheridge Associates.

Among its many projects, his company is developing the Interstate 95/U.S. 264 interchange, and has brought in hotels, Cracker Barrel and other businesses.

"I reckon it (50,000) is just a good round figure. They've just sort of got it in their mind as a threshold," Etheridge said. "This bumps us closer to it, so that helps."

Wilson County's nearly 12 percent population growth was also a big plus, Etheridge said. Wilson County grew to 73,814 residents in 2000, up from 66,061 in 1990.

"The thing we try to do is emphasize the county population. Wilson's a fairly small county," he said.

"It's positive," agreed Fred Bunn, president of Bunn & amp; Company, which does commercial and residential building and development.

"Any time you've got growth, it makes people look at you," he said.

One of Bunn & amp; Company's developments is Eagle Farm Shopping Center, at the corner of Nash Street and Lake Wilson Road. The shopping center will feature a new Food Lion and other offices, stores, and perhaps restaurants.

Other towns in eastern North Carolina grew, which is good for the entire east, Bunn said.

"You can't do it on your own," he said.

Indeed, the region enjoyed growth. Neighboring Rocky Mount grew by about 12 percent to 55,893. Greenville had some of the most substantial growth, expanding by more than 34 percent to 60,476 people.

Sharpsburg recorded the greatest rate of increase -- nearly 58 percent -- increasing to 2,241 residents. Other small towns in the immediate region that grew notably include Bailey, Fountain, Middlesex, Saratoga and Walstonburg.

However, Goldsboro's population slightly fell. With 39,043 residents, Goldsboro (home to Outback Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesday restaurants) is now smaller than Wilson.

But Goldsboro's home of Wayne County grew 8 percent to 113,329 residents.

"Goldsboro has experienced a lot of growth because of the county's population," Etheridge said. The demographics are also positive for restaurants -- the population from the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, for instance, is young and tends to go out to eat.

Soon after Wilson's census count was disclosed, a Texas Steakhouse official unveiled plans to build a restaurant here. The restaurant will sit across the road from the first entrance into the Gateway (Kmart) Plaza on U.S. 264.

"We had been working on that Texas Steakhouse for a while, and as a matter of fact I'm talking to another restaurant group right now, and I think these new numbers are definitely getting their attention," Etheridge said.

Of course, population count isn't the only thing restaurants and businesses look at in their market research. For instance, income levels, job types, housing trends, and availability of land also make a difference.

And although the new population count is out, developers are still waiting for the big picture of the community to be developed.

"We don't know where the population growth is demographically yet," Etheridge said. That information should come out later this year.

Still, growth in population is a major plus.

"We will go back and talk to some of these people we've talked to in the past and see what their reaction is. It will definitely help us some," Etheridge said.

"It's a little too new to say what their reactions will be."

You may reach Laura Keeter at keeter@wilsondaily.com.