Population Boom Moving Into Youngsville Area

Youngsville, N.C. — The town of Youngsville has a quaint downtown area, with brick sidewalks, antique stores, and pictures from the past. But times are changing and the area is in the midst of a population boom.

Stephan Bezzina, who moved to Youngsville a year and a half ago, has a brand-new business and an eye out for what's to come.

“I'd say 80 percent of the people we get here on a daily basis are people who have just moved in over the past few years,” Bezzina said.

“A lot of (the growth) is spillover from Wake County,” said Youngsville Town Administrator Barbara Robbins. “Wake County is filling up, Wake Forest is filling up, and we're the next town down the road.”

In 2000, 650 people lived in Youngsville. Now, there are roughly 1,100 people. By 2009, town leaders expect 2,800 residents. In just nine years, the population will have quadrupled.

The housing and construction industries are expanding as well. The town of Youngsville issued 19 housing permits for single-family homes last year. Town leaders said they're expecting six times that number in 2007. Youngsville is also in line to get its first grocery store this year.

But with all the growth that's coming to Youngsville, nearby Franklinton's population is stable for now. With only five miles between them, it's a big difference between the two Franklin County towns.

County leaders said that Franklinton will be next in the building boom. Both town and county leaders said they are planning for the expected growth to make sure the county’s resources can keep up.

“On the northern corridor down (U.S. Highway 1), you're seeing Youngsville getting it first and it's encroaching right on to Franklinton,” Robbins said.