Forty-nine North Carolina communities have received Main Street America™ Accreditation status for 2026, the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced today. Each year, Main Street America and its state coordinating partner, the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center, announce the list of programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
“Communities across our state continue to achieve excellence in economic development as they demonstrate what’s possible when people come together with vision and purpose,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Their dedication is a reminder that strong downtowns fuel prosperity and are built through passion, perseverance, and partnership.”
The following N.C. Main Street communities have earned accreditation for their 2025 performance:
Albemarle, Asheboro, Belmont, Boone, Brevard, Cherryville, Concord, Edenton, Elizabeth City, Elkin, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Goldsboro, Henderson, Hendersonville, Hickory, Laurinburg, Lenoir, Lexington, Lumberton, Manteo, Marion, Mebane, Mooresville, Morehead City, Morganton, Mount Airy, Murphy, New Bern, Newton, Oxford, Pittsboro, Reidsville, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Salisbury, Sanford, Smithfield, Spruce Pine, Statesville, Sylva, Troy, Tryon, Wake Forest, Waynesville, Waxhaw, Whiteville, Wilson, and Zebulon.
The N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet its rigorous performance standards. These standards provide the Main Street America network with a strong foundational framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward. To qualify for Main Street America’s top tier designation, communities must demonstrate a proven track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy‑driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.
“We are proud to recognize our 2026 Accredited Main Street America programs for their unwavering commitment to grassroots transformation and the extraordinary abilities of their staff, board of directors, and volunteers to respond to the needs of their communities,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America. “These programs demonstrate a dedication to investing in the people and places that make their downtown districts special and contribute to the collective power of the Main Street movement to build vibrant spaces and durable economies.”
“Our Main Street Accredited communities have demonstrated substantial achievement, driven by a clear vision for resilient downtowns,” said Liz Parham, Director of the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center. “Their work reflects a deep commitment to excellence and a belief in what their communities can accomplish through collaboration, determination, and forward‑looking leadership.”
Since 1980, N.C. Main Street programs have leveraged $6.1 billion in public and private investment, created 39,530 net new jobs, and rehabilitated 8,419 downtown buildings. In 2025, N.C. Main Street and Small Town Main Street downtown districts leveraged $518.7 million in public and private investment, 288 net new businesses, 1,925 net new jobs, 364 façade improvements, 293 building rehabilitations, and recorded 127,806 volunteer hours, valued at more than $4.21 million in time.
These improvements to infrastructure and downtown revitalization efforts align with North Carolina’s First in Opportunity strategic economic development plan to enhance community well-being and strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness from Murphy to Manteo.
For more information, visit the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center webpage or contact Liz Parham at 919-814-4658.
ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 45 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Today, the network includes more than 1,600 communities across the country working to build stronger places through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, the Main Street movement has resulted in $124.67 billion reinvested locally, 188,583 net new businesses, 852,443 net new jobs, 356,424 buildings rehabilitated, and 41 million volunteer hours. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.