Boone Showcases Why North Carolina is #1 in Business
EDPNC Billboard on the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Linn Cove Viaduct, October 14, 2025.
North Carolina has once again been named the #1 state for business, and the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to showcase how the High Country contributes to that statewide success. As part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina’s (EDPNC) celebration, a traveling billboard has made its way across the state highlighting communities that exemplify innovation, collaboration, and opportunity. During its visit to Boone, the miniature billboard made stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway during peak leaf season, capturing one of the most iconic economic drivers of North Carolina.
The billboard’s visit coincided with the busiest and most celebrated stretches of the year in the High Country: the turning of the leaves. October brings App State Homecoming, the Woolly Worm Festival, the Valle Country Fair, and peak leaf season all driving record visitation and economic activity. Against the colorful backdrop of autumn in the mountains, October showcases the full strength of Boone’s economy: where tourism, education, outdoor recreation and community meet.
Boone is a melting pot of key industry sectors anchored by Appalachian State University, small business, and year-round tourism. Major employers such as UNC Health - Appalachian complement small businesses, and all benefit from a strong visitor economy, university, and local community. Together, these sectors form a local ecosystem that mirrors North Carolina a national leader in business.
Boone Chamber President/CEO, David Jackson, holding EDPNC billboard at State of the Community Luncheon.
The billboard also made a special appearance at the Chamber’s State of the Community Luncheon, where over 80 attendees gathered at The Beacon Butcher Bar to discuss the future of Boone’s economy. The event featured updates on Boone Next, the Town’s new comprehensive development plan; progress in workforce development through RISE Caldwell-Watauga; key insights on housing, childcare, and workforce challenges; and what is to come for the Boone Chamber in 2026
Each of these topics underscores a fundamental truth: childcare, workforce development, and attainable housing are economic development.
As Boone continues to grow, its story reinforces why North Carolina remains the top choice for business. From the mountains to the coast, communities like ours demonstrate when we invest in place and people, the economy follows.