Photo: NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center

June 7. Fifty-one North Carolina municipalities have received “Main Street America” accreditation status for 2024, including Concord and Mooresville.

The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet national performance standards.

To quality for Accredited status—Main Street America’s top designation tier—communities must demonstrate alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.

The result: More investment and jobs, according to Liz Parham, director of the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center.

The other NC Main Street communities are: Albemarle, Asheboro, Belmont, Brevard, Cherryville, Clinton, Elizabeth City, Elkin, Fuquay-Varina, Goldsboro, Hendersonville, Hickory, Laurinburg, Lenoir, Lexington, Lumberton, Manteo, Marion, Monroe, Morehead City, Morganton, Mount Airy, Murphy, New Bern, Newton, North Wilkesboro, Pilot Mountain, Pittsboro, Reidsville, Roanoke Rapids, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Rutherfordton, Salisbury, Sanford, Shelby, Spruce Pine, Statesville, Sylva, Tarboro, Troy, Valdese, Wake Forest, Washington, Waxhaw, Waynesville, Whiteville, Williamston, and Wilson.