Cary, North Carolina – In an article from last week entitled Fastest Growing Cities in the South, Fortune writes that of the 11 fastest-growing areas in the country, 8 were in the South. Leading the pack: Raleigh-Cary.

Fortune Smiles Upon Cary

I’m not sure why it’s not still called Raleigh-Durham, or even Cary-Raleigh, but what’s in a name? Fortune lists the region’s population as 1.1 million (sounds like the whole Triangle, not just Cary and that other town).

Cary-Raleigh led the South with a 41.8% growth rate over the last decade. Number 2 on the list was Austin at 37.3%, followed by Charlotte at 32.1%.

Silicon Valley of the East?

Even though we drink Muscadine instead of Chardonnay, Fortune referred to our region as the Silicon Valley of the East:

Raleigh is one corner of the triangle region of North Carolina, a booming area that includes Durham and Chapel Hill and is home to the largest research park in the U.S. In 2010, the Milken Institute ranked Raleigh No. 7 in its list of best performing cities for creating and sustaining economic growth.

This Silicon Valley of the East coast attracts flocks of IT-types for jobs at tech giants like Cisco and IBM.

– Fortune, April 14, 2011

Looking Forward

Of course, the article in Fortune looks backward. So, what’s ahead?

I’m guessing more companies are going to develop a taste for Muscadine.