North Carolina continues to be one of the fastest growing states in the nation. The state's population jumped two percent between July 2007 and July of this year. That's another 180,000 people, making us the fourth-fastest growing state in the country. The Murtha family moved from New York a year ago because they could not afford to pay the taxes, and on top of that, they love everything our state has to offer. “Certainly the climate and it's a beautiful state it really is. It's got everything, the shore to the mountains,” said Jean Murtha. North Carolina is fourth behind Utah, Arizona and Texas.