RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Highest unemployment, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities ranked by the highest unemployment rate (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 4.5%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Swannanoa, NC, up 159 places to #3.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020

01▲6Northchase, NCNC5,89619.2%+6.1 pts

02▲3Kinston, NCNC19,70516.1%+2.5 pts

03▲159Swannanoa, NCNC6,90114.8%+13.0 pts

04▲5Roxboro, NCNC8,38013.5%+1.5 pts

05▲1Porters Neck, NCNC7,65412.5%−1.0 pts

06▼5Boone, NCNC19,92912.0%−4.6 pts

07▲11Cullowhee, NCNC7,97311.8%+1.5 pts

08▲59Rockingham, NCNC8,81511.3%+4.8 pts

09▼5Laurinburg, NCNC14,58211.0%−3.2 pts

10▼8Williamston, NCNC5,0869.8%−5.3 pts

11▲24Henderson, NCNC15,0139.4%+0.7 pts

12▲24Greenville, NCNC96,4439.0%+0.3 pts

13▲40Hamlet, NCNC5,8708.7%+1.5 pts

14▲32Eden, NCNC15,5008.3%+0.3 pts

15▲47Hope Mills, NCNC18,3248.2%+1.6 pts

16▲25Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0498.2%0.0 pts

17▲141Creedmoor, NCNC5,0468.2%+6.0 pts

18▲69Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3868.1%+2.8 pts

19▼7Goldsboro, NCNC35,0128.0%−2.8 pts

20▲9Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1208.0%−1.1 pts

21▼10Sawmills, NCNC5,1058.0%−3.8 pts

22▲15Fayetteville, NCNC209,1207.9%−0.5 pts

23▲9Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8707.8%−1.0 pts

24▼9Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1177.7%−2.8 pts

25Forest City, NCNC7,4107.5%−1.9 pts

26▼3Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327.4%−2.2 pts

27▲22Smithfield, NCNC13,1147.2%−0.4 pts

28▲20Zebulon, NCNC11,9337.1%−0.7 pts

29▲40Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7317.1%+0.6 pts

30▼22Anderson Creek, NCNC13,9277.1%−5.3 pts

31▼14Nashville, NCNC5,9117.0%−3.3 pts

32▼2Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6227.0%−1.9 pts

33▼30Wadesboro, NCNC5,0357.0%−7.5 pts

34▼6Oxford, NCNC8,9857.0%−2.2 pts

35▲29Graham, NCNC20,1316.8%+0.2 pts

36▲93Westport, NCNC5,9156.8%+3.3 pts

37▲22Statesville, NCNC32,1816.8%−0.1 pts

38▼24Ayden, NCNC5,2636.7%−3.8 pts

39▲4Southern Pines, NCNC17,3576.7%−1.3 pts

40▼20Wilson, NCNC49,5726.7%−3.3 pts

41▲35Burlington, NCNC61,4966.5%+0.5 pts

42▼20Reidsville, NCNC14,6926.4%−3.2 pts

43▼24Hampstead, NCNC9,2926.3%−3.9 pts

44▲54Garner, NCNC41,5626.2%+1.5 pts

45▲106St. James, NCNC7,3186.2%+3.7 pts

46▲54Newton, NCNC13,8226.2%+1.4 pts

47▼31Lexington, NCNC20,2386.0%−4.4 pts

48▲34Bessemer City, NCNC5,8345.9%+0.2 pts

49▲7Piney Green, NCNC14,0785.9%−1.1 pts

50▼5Salisbury, NCNC36,8795.8%−2.2 pts

51▲52Murraysville, NCNC16,3395.8%+1.3 pts

52▼12Spout Springs, NCNC11,2425.7%−2.6 pts

53▲19Gastonia, NCNC87,0675.7%−0.7 pts

54▲29Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2715.7%0.0 pts

55▼8Lumberton, NCNC18,9555.6%−2.2 pts

56▲1Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.6%−1.4 pts

57▲31Concord, NCNC114,5985.5%+0.3 pts

58▲16Butner, NCNC8,1125.5%−0.8 pts

59▼26Mount Holly, NCNC19,0335.5%−3.3 pts

60▲29Winterville, NCNC10,9735.4%+0.2 pts

61▼34Spring Lake, NCNC11,2525.4%−3.9 pts

62▼28Marion, NCNC7,4405.4%−3.4 pts

63▲15Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.3%−0.6 pts

64▲55Silver Lake, NCNC6,5635.3%+1.5 pts

65▲79Stallings, NCNC17,7605.3%+2.3 pts

66▲64Pineville, NCNC11,8515.2%+1.8 pts

67▼9High Point, NCNC120,5715.2%−1.7 pts

68▲49Pinehurst, NCNC18,6705.2%+1.2 pts

69▲86Angier, NCNC9,4105.1%+2.8 pts

70▲56Asheville, NCNC93,5235.1%+1.4 pts

71▼3Greensboro, NCNC308,6675.1%−1.5 pts

72▲36Elon, NCNC11,3665.1%+0.7 pts

73▲45East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3235.0%+1.1 pts

74▲6Clinton, NCNC8,4664.9%−1.0 pts

75▲11Havelock, NCNC17,4304.9%−0.5 pts

76▲55Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.9%+1.5 pts

77▼22Selma, NCNC7,4064.9%−2.2 pts

78▼36Siler City, NCNC8,1554.7%−3.5 pts

79▲18Leland, NCNC35,7314.7%−0.1 pts

80▼9Monroe, NCNC42,6444.6%−1.8 pts

81▲12Charlotte, NCNC964,7844.6%−0.3 pts

82▼30Thomasville, NCNC27,7334.6%−2.8 pts

83▼23New Bern, NCNC34,7244.6%−2.1 pts

84▼18Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.6%−2.0 pts

85▲7Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5654.5%−0.5 pts

86▲4Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.5%−0.6 pts

87▲33Clemmons, NCNC22,8084.5%+0.7 pts

88▼67Dallas, NCNC6,3924.5%−5.4 pts

89▲36Mooresville, NCNC55,8424.4%+0.7 pts

90▲20Raleigh, NCNC506,3064.4%+0.1 pts

91▼14Sanford, NCNC34,1384.4%−1.7 pts

92▲3Wilmington, NCNC126,8094.3%−0.6 pts

93▲9Mocksville, NCNC6,2824.2%−0.4 pts

94▼29Mount Airy, NCNC10,6824.1%−2.4 pts

95▼32Hillsborough, NCNC9,7784.1%−2.5 pts

96▲44Davidson, NCNC16,6624.1%+1.0 pts

97▼3Mint Hill, NCNC29,4764.1%−0.8 pts

98▲41Unionville, NCNC7,3224.1%+0.9 pts

99▼48Kannapolis, NCNC61,7084.1%−3.4 pts

100▼16Wake Forest, NCNC58,1474.0%−1.6 pts

101▼2Belmont, NCNC16,4154.0%−0.8 pts

102▼27Asheboro, NCNC27,9904.0%−2.1 pts

103▲31Marvin, NCNC7,0404.0%+0.6 pts

104▲64Lillington, NCNC5,0403.9%+2.5 pts

105▲54Black Mountain, NCNC8,4913.9%+1.8 pts

106▼96Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5403.9%−8.0 pts

107▼34Mebane, NCNC21,9523.9%−2.5 pts

108▲40Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5663.8%+1.0 pts

109▼8Durham, NCNC305,5613.8%−0.9 pts

110▼14Morganton, NCNC17,8493.8%−1.0 pts

111▼26Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9063.8%−1.8 pts

112▼7Apex, NCNC80,4193.8%−0.7 pts

113▼75Hickory, NCNC45,9753.8%−4.5 pts

114▼75Lincolnton, NCNC12,4653.8%−4.5 pts

115▼11Rolesville, NCNC12,8393.7%−0.8 pts

116▼2Aberdeen, NCNC10,0663.7%−0.5 pts

117▼4Locust, NCNC6,1203.6%−0.5 pts

118▲10Carrboro, NCNC20,9623.6%+0.1 pts

119▼3Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5363.6%−0.4 pts

120▼66Shelby, NCNC23,3093.6%−3.5 pts

121▼42Brevard, NCNC8,0983.6%−2.3 pts

122▼98Washington, NCNC9,9103.5%−6.0 pts

123▼14Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8753.5%−0.8 pts

124▲23Cramerton, NCNC5,7133.5%+0.6 pts

125▲12Cary, NCNC183,5823.5%+0.2 pts

126▼14Knightdale, NCNC23,1443.4%−0.7 pts

127▲11Holly Springs, NCNC50,2883.4%+0.1 pts

128▲17Gibsonville, NCNC9,8763.3%+0.4 pts

129▲14Conover, NCNC8,9383.3%+0.4 pts

130▲2Morrisville, NCNC32,4663.3%0.0 pts

131▲41Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5053.3%+2.3 pts

132▼71Dunn, NCNC8,8143.2%−3.5 pts

133▼12Huntersville, NCNC68,5353.2%−0.6 pts

134▲30Hendersonville, NCNC15,8673.2%+1.4 pts

135▼104Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2873.2%−5.7 pts

136▼14Trinity, NCNC7,2743.2%−0.6 pts

137▼46Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6373.1%−2.0 pts

138▼2Shallotte, NCNC5,3353.1%−0.2 pts

139▲17Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4943.1%+0.9 pts

140▲21Fletcher, NCNC8,3733.0%+1.1 pts

141▲8Woodfin, NCNC8,2293.0%+0.2 pts

142▼7Cherryville, NCNC6,5233.0%−0.3 pts

143▼1Oak Island, NCNC9,3373.0%0.0 pts

144▼17Harrisburg, NCNC20,7423.0%−0.7 pts

145▲15Kings Grant, NCNC9,0032.9%+0.9 pts

146▲27Etowah, NCNC7,9682.8%+2.2 pts

147▼66Surf City, NCNC5,1422.8%−3.0 pts

148▲2Clayton, NCNC32,6332.8%+0.1 pts

149▲22Moyock, NCNC5,6842.8%+1.6 pts

150▲13Mills River, NCNC7,5042.8%+1.0 pts

151▼107Midway, NCNC5,1042.7%−5.3 pts

152▼37Kernersville, NCNC29,1282.7%−1.4 pts

153▼127Long View, NCNC5,3872.5%−6.8 pts

154▼2Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8962.5%0.0 pts

155▼49Walkertown, NCNC6,1202.5%−2.0 pts

156▼49Archdale, NCNC12,2542.5%−1.9 pts

157▼33Cornelius, NCNC35,0942.4%−1.2 pts

158▼5Summerfield, NCNC11,3272.1%−0.3 pts

159▼18Matthews, NCNC32,7692.1%−0.9 pts

160▼37Morehead City, NCNC10,4342.0%−1.8 pts

161▲6Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1651.9%+0.3 pts

162▼51Stokesdale, NCNC6,1331.9%−2.3 pts

163▼30Lewisville, NCNC14,4211.9%−1.5 pts

164▼10Waynesville, NCNC11,0061.9%−0.5 pts

165▲4Weddington, NCNC14,5171.8%+0.4 pts

166▲4Midland, NCNC5,1511.8%+0.4 pts

167▼21Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9081.6%−1.3 pts

168Barbecue, NCNC5,9101.5%–

169▼12Ogden, NCNC8,2491.4%−0.8 pts

170▼4Wendell, NCNC19,6871.3%−0.2 pts

171▼158Half Moon, NCNC7,3781.3%−9.4 pts

172▼102Pittsboro, NCNC5,0541.1%−5.3 pts

173▼123St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571.1%−6.5 pts

174▼9King, NCNC7,9771.0%−0.6 pts

175▼1Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6490.0%0.0 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES