15 eastern counties lose population.

• Position: Demographic - Brief Article

New U.S. Census figures for Eastern North Carolina confirm what advocates for the region feared: People are leaving. Estimates for April 2000 through July 2003 show that 15 of the 17 Tar Heel counties that lost population were in the East. Hyde lost the most, nearly 4% of its population, leaving it with 5,567 residents. Lenoir lost about 1.6%, falling from 59,485 to 58,549. Economists blame job losses and a stagnant economy. Phil Horne, president of the...