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Given the 1980 County-wide average household size of 2.68 persons, <br /> an additional 28,478 dwelling units would be required to house the <br /> projected population increase between 1980-2000. This represents an <br /> average yearly rate of construction of 1,424 dwelling units during <br /> the plan period. Rising construction and financing costs could <br /> suggest a possible reverse in the trend toward decreasing average <br /> household size as individuals choose to live together in order to <br /> reduce rising housing costs. <br /> Plan Interpretation <br /> These projections suggest the need to develop and adopt growth <br /> management strategies to accommodate such changes in the population <br /> profile' of the County.. Although the determination of the impacts of <br /> this magnitude of change is highly subjective, population growth <br /> will affect migration patterns, prospects for economic growth, the <br /> local job market, housing and the settlement pattern of the County. <br /> Important County-level impacts will occur in the quantity and <br /> quality of the educational, health and other public services <br /> provided by the County to its residents. Local impacts will <br /> primarily affect the character of neighborhood and crossroads <br /> communities. Residential expansion throughout the County will be <br /> accompanied by an increase in demand for commercial uses and <br /> supporting services, particularly in the rural areas. <br /> There is currently a lag in the employment-population ratio in the <br /> Triangle .7 region. Employment opportunities within and in the <br /> vicinity of Orange County are stimulating greater population <br /> in-migration to the County. The County will probably continue to <br /> receive a larger share of the population growth in terms of <br /> residential development as a result. However, population growth may <br /> eventually constrain employment growth as the two factors come into <br /> alignment over time and employment opportunities become more <br /> restricted. As these opportunities are generally concentrated in the <br /> government, higher education, research and development sectors, the <br /> opportunities for employment of the less skilled may continue to be <br /> limited and result in continued out-migration of these groups. <br /> During the plan period, a number of factors will continue to affect <br /> population growth and change in the County and should be recognized <br /> in future planning efforts to guide the appropriate use of land to- <br /> accommodate this population. These factors include: <br /> 8 <br /> •i <br /> - - - - <br />