RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Highest labor force participation, North Carolina counties · 2020

North Carolina counties ranked by the share of adults 16+ in the civilian labor force (2023 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Lowest labor force participation, US counties →

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPLABOR FORCE PARTICIPATIONVS 2000

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38371.0%–

02Onslow County, NCNC217,17570.9%–

03Wake County, NCNC1,257,23570.4%–

04Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72567.6%–

05Union County, NCNC267,67467.5%–

06Durham County, NCNC347,24067.0%–

07Johnston County, NCNC256,44865.0%–

08Currituck County, NCNC33,15864.8%–

09Dare County, NCNC38,24564.6%–

10Cumberland County, NCNC338,47364.4%–

11Iredell County, NCNC211,79864.4%–

12Guilford County, NCNC562,23463.9%–

13Pitt County, NCNC182,93663.2%–

14Person County, NCNC40,63662.8%–

15New Hanover County, NCNC245,95962.7%–

16Gaston County, NCNC246,55862.4%–

17Orange County, NCNC152,49862.3%–

18Catawba County, NCNC170,17262.3%–

19Lincoln County, NCNC98,65461.9%–

20Forsyth County, NCNC401,71861.7%–

21Alamance County, NCNC186,17761.6%–

22Buncombe County, NCNC277,41761.2%–

23Lee County, NCNC70,25861.1%–

24Franklin County, NCNC82,03761.0%–

25Wayne County, NCNC122,27860.4%–

26Davie County, NCNC45,85560.3%–

27Harnett County, NCNC150,13760.2%–

28Stanly County, NCNC68,83060.2%–

29Randolph County, NCNC149,51660.0%–

30Rowan County, NCNC155,09659.9%–

31Pender County, NCNC72,11159.9%–

32Watauga County, NCNC54,78659.7%–

33Nash County, NCNC99,36559.6%–

34Craven County, NCNC105,02559.4%–

35Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20159.4%–

36Hoke County, NCNC56,93959.4%–

37Wilson County, NCNC81,15059.3%–

38Davidson County, NCNC180,18259.1%–

39Camden County, NCNC11,31559.1%–

40Vance County, NCNC42,63858.6%–

41Sampson County, NCNC61,50458.2%–

42Granville County, NCNC61,42158.1%–

43Henderson County, NCNC122,37558.0%–

44Alexander County, NCNC36,95858.0%–

45Stokes County, NCNC46,12658.0%–

46Chatham County, NCNC85,11157.7%–

47Duplin County, NCNC51,57157.7%–

48Lenoir County, NCNC55,83757.7%–

49Richmond County, NCNC42,04157.6%–

50Caldwell County, NCNC81,10557.6%–

51Moore County, NCNC110,61957.5%–

52Gates County, NCNC10,23457.4%–

53Yadkin County, NCNC38,32557.1%–

54Martin County, NCNC21,60157.0%–

55Surry County, NCNC72,28756.7%–

56Cleveland County, NCNC103,32556.7%–

57Ashe County, NCNC27,51456.6%–

58Rockingham County, NCNC94,19556.6%–

59Carteret County, NCNC70,46956.4%–

60Haywood County, NCNC63,36956.2%–

61Burke County, NCNC88,65556.0%–

62Wilkes County, NCNC66,23356.0%–

63Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12155.7%–

64Anson County, NCNC21,75855.5%–

65Swain County, NCNC14,02455.4%–

66Jackson County, NCNC45,03954.6%–

67Beaufort County, NCNC44,67054.6%–

68McDowell County, NCNC45,19854.6%–

69Mitchell County, NCNC15,06254.4%–

70Madison County, NCNC22,55354.4%–

71Polk County, NCNC20,53353.2%–

72Yancey County, NCNC19,08453.1%–

73Rutherford County, NCNC65,74552.9%–

74Caswell County, NCNC22,56352.8%–

75Chowan County, NCNC14,08252.3%–

76Greene County, NCNC20,70051.7%–

77Jones County, NCNC9,57551.4%–

78Transylvania County, NCNC34,21151.4%–

79Robeson County, NCNC119,94151.0%–

80Scotland County, NCNC33,32250.8%–

81Macon County, NCNC39,23250.7%–

82Graham County, NCNC8,19050.5%–

83Alleghany County, NCNC11,47950.3%–

84Perquimans County, NCNC13,49050.2%–

85Montgomery County, NCNC26,40350.1%–

86Hertford County, NCNC19,01549.7%–

87Warren County, NCNC18,89849.6%–

88Clay County, NCNC12,23949.0%–

89Halifax County, NCNC46,53448.8%–

90Bladen County, NCNC30,00748.8%–

91Brunswick County, NCNC174,70248.4%–

92Cherokee County, NCNC30,83048.0%–

93Northampton County, NCNC16,49147.8%–

94Hyde County, NCNC4,55447.7%–

95Bertie County, NCNC17,08647.6%–

96Columbus County, NCNC50,48747.2%–

97Washington County, NCNC10,63846.8%–

98Avery County, NCNC18,11045.4%–

99Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53744.7%–

100Pamlico County, NCNC12,75843.0%–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES