1. Define the Bessemer City boundary before reading the numbers
A local dashboard is only useful when everyone agrees what “Bessemer City” means. The Census record identifies Bessemer City city as a municipality in Gaston County. That is narrower than every place a Gaston County firm may serve and different from a metropolitan area, a household count or an individual’s location. A consultation should therefore distinguish city targets from county targets and from broader North Carolina coverage. The city population estimate is a geographic anchor, not proof that a particular practice area has demand there.
Recommended approach
Ask Bosseo to show how geographic labels would be defined in the dashboard: Bessemer City, Gaston County, other service areas and statewide terms should not be combined into one unexplained total. Decide which locations belong in routine reporting and which should remain separate for review.
