RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Randolph County leaders have a lot to be excited about in 2025 as major growth is on the horizon this year. “Historically, Randolph County is agricultural and industrial,” said the President of Randolph County Economic Development Corporation, Kevin Franklin. However, times are changing. “A lot of those furniture jobs have been lost even in the last three years we’ve lost, in two facilities we’ve lost 1,500 furniture jobs,” said Franklin. Franklin says Randolph County is being put on the map by companies like Ross Dress for Less. “450 million dollars worth of investment, 852 jobs,” said Franklin. Toyota has made the biggest single investment in the history of the state of North Carolina, coming in at $13.9 billion and 5,100 jobs. “In fact, it’s the largest Toyota investment in any of their facilities globally." So why Randolph County?  “This region has one of the best interstate network systems in the entire country. You’ve got I-85, I-40, I-73, I-74, US-421 which is now future I-685,” said Franklin. The addition of a new interstate keeps eyes on Randolph County and the Piedmont Triad as a whole.  “That’s important to economic developers because oftentimes a project will say, ‘We wanna see all the buildings or sites that are available for my client to consider and we may need it to be within X miles of an interstate,” said Carolina Core Regional Economic Development Director, Loren Hill. This leads to even further growth down the road. While economic development is what a community strives for the county is now looking into ways to keep those employees in Randolph County to live, work and play.  “I do know that we don’t have enough housing today for the workforce. Toyota as an example is hiring from a 60-mile radius around the site. At this point, the majority of those Toyota employees are living in Guilford County for example as opposed to living in Randolph County. "It’s just the function of numbers,” said Franklin. He says with the business boom, the county must expand its housing options, and it must include homes at all price points.