Great expectations.

• Position: The Future of North Carolina

When Martin Ford was listed as keynote speaker at this year's Emerging Issues Forum, we knew we should focus this month's magazine on what's ahead for our state. Ford's presence ensures that the annual conference at N.C. State University will take an invigorating look at the future: His two books offer chilling warnings on how robots could take over many tasks now performed by mortals. The forum's theme is the future of work and how to create more good jobs. In concert, this month's BNC considers what North Carolina may look like in 10 years, based on interviews with leaders and innovators in various industries. There's a bullish tone reflective of the state's growth, tempered by worries about the widening urban-rural economic divide.

What will the total population be in 2026?

11.2 MILLION (Source: state demographer)

What percentage of the public-school population will be in charter schools?

11% or 198,000 students up from 5.4%, or 82,000, in 2015.

(Source Eddie Goodall, executive director, N.C. Public Charter Schools Association)

How many banks will be based here?

34 compared with 62 in 2015. 10 with assets topping $1 billion, down from 17, and 24 with less than $1 billion, down from 45.

(Source Tony Plath, UNC Charlotte finance professor)

How much will it cost to go to college?

$73,626 private schools, per year

$33,881 at a public university

(Source College Foundation of North Carolina cost calculator, assuming 5% annual inflation)

How much will Carolina Panthers season tickets cost? What will the franchise be worth?

Panthers season tickets WILL DOUBLE and cost about $860 to $8,600. The franchise value will triple to $4.8 billion.

(Source: Terry Hanson, veteran Charlotte sports marketing executive)

How many people will be living in downtown Charlotte?

More than 40.000 compared with 26.000 now.

(Source: Charlotte Center City Partners)

Will newspapers survive?

Major N.C. cities will have newspapers but they may publish only three or four...