1. Start with the Belmont service area, not a generic software brief
Belmont is a municipality in Gaston County, North Carolina. The 2020–2024 American Community Survey five-year population estimate for Belmont city is 15,546, with a margin of error of 61. That is geographic context, not proof of legal demand, search activity, case volume or software need. It does, however, give your firm a precise boundary for the first conversation: which work relates specifically to Belmont, which work spans Gaston County, and which work comes from elsewhere in North Carolina? Custom software should preserve those distinctions where they affect routing, reporting, eligibility or staff responsibility. A brief that says only “local leads” or “regional clients” may be too vague to design safely.
Recommended approach
Bring a written description of the geographic categories your firm actually uses. Ask whether Belmont, Gaston County and broader North Carolina matters require different intake questions, assignment rules, reporting views or access permissions. Treat any local population figure as context rather than a forecast.
