RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Highest unemployment, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties ranked by the highest unemployment rate (2024 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 4.8%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Graham County, NC, up 82 places to #15.

Flip the list · Lowest unemployment, US counties →

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020

01▲24Washington County, NCNC10,63813.0%+5.7 pts

02▼1Scotland County, NCNC33,32210.9%−0.8 pts

03▲10Richmond County, NCNC42,0419.8%+1.6 pts

04▲31Halifax County, NCNC46,5349.3%+2.8 pts

05▲1Lenoir County, NCNC55,8379.0%+0.1 pts

06▲1Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1218.7%−0.1 pts

07▲8Vance County, NCNC42,6388.2%+0.2 pts

08▲10Northampton County, NCNC16,4918.1%+0.3 pts

09▼1Watauga County, NCNC54,7867.9%−0.9 pts

10▲4Pitt County, NCNC182,9367.8%−0.3 pts

11▲8Cumberland County, NCNC338,4737.6%−0.2 pts

12▲28Swain County, NCNC14,0247.6%+1.6 pts

13▲10Yancey County, NCNC19,0847.3%−0.1 pts

14▼9Warren County, NCNC18,8987.2%−1.8 pts

15▲82Graham County, NCNC8,1907.0%+3.6 pts

16▲1Hoke County, NCNC56,9396.6%−1.3 pts

17▲66Mitchell County, NCNC15,0626.5%+2.0 pts

18▲13Rutherford County, NCNC65,7456.3%−0.4 pts

19▼16Martin County, NCNC21,6016.1%−3.7 pts

20▼8Hertford County, NCNC19,0156.0%−2.4 pts

21▲3Robeson County, NCNC119,9416.0%−1.4 pts

22▲32Dare County, NCNC38,2455.9%+0.3 pts

23▼19Gates County, NCNC10,2345.9%−3.7 pts

24▲8Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2015.9%−0.8 pts

25▲12Rockingham County, NCNC94,1955.8%−0.6 pts

26▲26Greene County, NCNC20,7005.7%0.0 pts

27▼17Wilson County, NCNC81,1505.6%−3.0 pts

28▲11Person County, NCNC40,6365.6%−0.5 pts

29▼8Anson County, NCNC21,7585.5%−1.9 pts

30▼21Camden County, NCNC11,3155.5%−3.2 pts

31▲37Bladen County, NCNC30,0075.4%+0.5 pts

32▼16Onslow County, NCNC217,1755.4%−2.6 pts

33▲11Duplin County, NCNC51,5715.3%−0.6 pts

34▼7Rowan County, NCNC155,0965.3%−1.7 pts

35▲30Yadkin County, NCNC38,3255.3%+0.2 pts

36▼6Sampson County, NCNC61,5045.3%−1.5 pts

37▲19Wayne County, NCNC122,2785.2%−0.2 pts

38▼16Cleveland County, NCNC103,3255.2%−2.2 pts

39▲8Caswell County, NCNC22,5635.2%−0.6 pts

40▲38Pamlico County, NCNC12,7585.1%+0.5 pts

41▼39Bertie County, NCNC17,0865.1%−4.9 pts

42▲50Polk County, NCNC20,5335.1%+1.4 pts

43▲19Alamance County, NCNC186,1775.1%−0.2 pts

44▲23Forsyth County, NCNC401,7185.0%+0.1 pts

45▼9Caldwell County, NCNC81,1055.0%−1.4 pts

46▲2Alexander County, NCNC36,9585.0%−0.7 pts

47▲14Wilkes County, NCNC66,2335.0%−0.3 pts

48▼22Nash County, NCNC99,3654.9%−2.3 pts

49▼3Jackson County, NCNC45,0394.9%−0.9 pts

50Avery County, NCNC18,1104.8%−0.8 pts

51▲28Moore County, NCNC110,6194.8%+0.2 pts

52▼32Pender County, NCNC72,1114.8%−2.7 pts

53▲31Ashe County, NCNC27,5144.8%+0.4 pts

54▼12Gaston County, NCNC246,5584.8%−1.2 pts

55▲34Davie County, NCNC45,8554.7%+0.7 pts

56▼22Harnett County, NCNC150,1374.7%−1.9 pts

57▼14Brunswick County, NCNC174,7024.7%−1.3 pts

58▲8Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7254.6%−0.3 pts

59▼30Franklin County, NCNC82,0374.6%−2.2 pts

60▼15Guilford County, NCNC562,2344.6%−1.3 pts

61▲14Granville County, NCNC61,4214.6%−0.1 pts

62▲2New Hanover County, NCNC245,9594.5%−0.7 pts

63▼14Columbus County, NCNC50,4874.4%−1.3 pts

64▼31Burke County, NCNC88,6554.4%−2.3 pts

65▲15Surry County, NCNC72,2874.4%−0.2 pts

66▼55Jones County, NCNC9,5754.4%−4.1 pts

67▲7Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3834.3%−0.4 pts

68▲31Buncombe County, NCNC277,4174.3%+1.1 pts

69▼31Craven County, NCNC105,0254.2%−1.9 pts

70▲7Union County, NCNC267,6744.2%−0.5 pts

71▲2Iredell County, NCNC211,7984.2%−0.6 pts

72▼12Chowan County, NCNC14,0824.1%−1.2 pts

73▼18Davidson County, NCNC180,1824.1%−1.4 pts

74▲13Wake County, NCNC1,257,2354.1%−0.1 pts

75▼24McDowell County, NCNC45,1984.1%−1.6 pts

76▼6Cherokee County, NCNC30,8304.1%−0.8 pts

77▼8Stanly County, NCNC68,8304.1%−0.9 pts

78▼20Carteret County, NCNC70,4694.0%−1.3 pts

79▼51Beaufort County, NCNC44,6703.9%−2.9 pts

80▼4Durham County, NCNC347,2403.9%−0.8 pts

81▼28Lee County, NCNC70,2583.8%−1.8 pts

82▲4Johnston County, NCNC256,4483.8%−0.5 pts

83▲12Alleghany County, NCNC11,4793.7%+0.3 pts

84▼43Catawba County, NCNC170,1723.7%−2.4 pts

85▲5Orange County, NCNC152,4983.6%−0.4 pts

86▼27Perquimans County, NCNC13,4903.6%−1.7 pts

87▼5Randolph County, NCNC149,5163.5%−1.1 pts

88▲12Henderson County, NCNC122,3753.5%+0.4 pts

89▼26Lincoln County, NCNC98,6543.3%−1.9 pts

90▲6Madison County, NCNC22,5533.1%−0.3 pts

91▼19Stokes County, NCNC46,1263.1%−1.7 pts

92▼4Haywood County, NCNC63,3693.1%−1.0 pts

93▲5Currituck County, NCNC33,1583.0%−0.3 pts

94▼9Chatham County, NCNC85,1112.9%−1.5 pts

95▼2Montgomery County, NCNC26,4032.8%−0.7 pts

96▼5Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5372.8%−1.2 pts

97▼26Macon County, NCNC39,2322.8%−2.0 pts

98▼41Transylvania County, NCNC34,2112.8%−2.6 pts

99▼5Clay County, NCNC12,2392.6%−0.8 pts

100▼19Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.5%−2.1 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)

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