RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Lowest labor force participation, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the smallest share of adults 16+ in the civilian labor force (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPLABOR FORCE PARTICIPATIONVS 2020

01St. James, NCNC7,31822.3%−1.6 pts

02Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54040.7%+9.9 pts

03Elon, NCNC11,36642.3%+4.2 pts

04Pinehurst, NCNC18,67043.1%+0.1 pts

05Oak Island, NCNC9,33744.1%−6.3 pts

06Brevard, NCNC8,09844.3%−6.6 pts

07Marion, NCNC7,44045.2%+1.3 pts

08Clinton, NCNC8,46648.7%+0.5 pts

09Black Mountain, NCNC8,49148.8%+4.3 pts

10Oxford, NCNC8,98549.0%−7.1 pts

11Swannanoa, NCNC6,90149.7%−2.0 pts

12Lumberton, NCNC18,95550.5%+0.8 pts

13Mount Airy, NCNC10,68251.0%−1.4 pts

14Porters Neck, NCNC7,65451.0%−5.0 pts

15Lillington, NCNC5,04051.2%+13.3 pts

16Reidsville, NCNC14,69251.8%+2.2 pts

17Smithfield, NCNC13,11452.0%−0.1 pts

18Kinston, NCNC19,70552.0%−0.3 pts

19Laurinburg, NCNC14,58252.2%+0.7 pts

20Hendersonville, NCNC15,86752.2%+0.2 pts

21Tarboro, NCNC10,97952.4%−1.0 pts

22Forest City, NCNC7,41052.6%−4.1 pts

23Lenoir, NCNC18,37252.7%−0.2 pts

24Locust, NCNC6,12053.0%−8.3 pts

25King, NCNC7,97753.5%−10.9 pts

26Roxboro, NCNC8,38053.5%−6.7 pts

27Dunn, NCNC8,81453.6%+1.8 pts

28Boone, NCNC19,92953.9%−0.9 pts

29Cherryville, NCNC6,52354.4%−0.3 pts

30Rockingham, NCNC8,81554.5%−3.1 pts

31Conover, NCNC8,93854.8%−5.0 pts

32Lexington, NCNC20,23854.9%+2.7 pts

33Salisbury, NCNC36,87955.2%−2.3 pts

34Stokesdale, NCNC6,13355.3%−14.2 pts

35Shelby, NCNC23,30955.5%−0.4 pts

36Washington, NCNC9,91055.5%+4.6 pts

37Etowah, NCNC7,96855.7%+4.6 pts

38Woodfin, NCNC8,22956.2%−1.4 pts

39Albemarle, NCNC17,76956.2%−2.7 pts

40Ayden, NCNC5,26356.3%−2.3 pts

41Morganton, NCNC17,84956.4%+3.2 pts

42Butner, NCNC8,11256.8%−2.5 pts

43Newton, NCNC13,82256.9%+1.4 pts

44Eden, NCNC15,50056.9%+0.9 pts

45Goldsboro, NCNC35,01257.1%+0.8 pts

46Leland, NCNC35,73157.5%+2.2 pts

47Waynesville, NCNC11,00657.8%+1.4 pts

48Angier, NCNC9,41058.1%+0.3 pts

49Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56558.1%−0.9 pts

50Cullowhee, NCNC7,97358.1%+9.4 pts

51Creedmoor, NCNC5,04658.2%−8.3 pts

52Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38658.3%+4.5 pts

53Southern Pines, NCNC17,35758.6%+2.2 pts

54Wilson, NCNC49,57258.6%−0.7 pts

55Lincolnton, NCNC12,46558.7%−2.6 pts

56Shallotte, NCNC5,33558.8%+10.2 pts

57Wadesboro, NCNC5,03558.8%+1.7 pts

58Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49458.9%−4.4 pts

59Hickory, NCNC45,97559.2%−2.4 pts

60Westport, NCNC5,91559.2%+2.0 pts

61Henderson, NCNC15,01359.3%+4.5 pts

62Davidson, NCNC16,66259.3%−4.1 pts

63Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87559.3%+1.6 pts

64St. Stephens, NCNC9,45759.3%−8.2 pts

65Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12059.4%+2.3 pts

66Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62259.6%+0.8 pts

67New Bern, NCNC34,72459.7%+1.0 pts

68Spout Springs, NCNC11,24260.0%−11.8 pts

69Archdale, NCNC12,25460.0%−1.8 pts

70Morehead City, NCNC10,43460.0%−0.3 pts

71Asheboro, NCNC27,99060.3%+2.1 pts

72Hamlet, NCNC5,87060.5%+4.6 pts

73Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50560.6%+2.7 pts

74Selma, NCNC7,40660.6%−0.4 pts

75Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90660.6%+1.7 pts

76Hope Mills, NCNC18,32461.0%−3.1 pts

77Thomasville, NCNC27,73361.1%+1.8 pts

78Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64961.2%−5.8 pts

79Midway, NCNC5,10461.3%−3.2 pts

80Williamston, NCNC5,08661.4%−1.8 pts

81Mocksville, NCNC6,28261.4%−4.0 pts

82Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27161.5%+0.5 pts

83Sanford, NCNC34,13861.5%−2.8 pts

84Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11761.8%+2.6 pts

85Asheville, NCNC93,52362.0%−2.0 pts

86High Point, NCNC120,57162.4%−0.1 pts

87Siler City, NCNC8,15562.6%+1.5 pts

88Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87062.7%−1.3 pts

89Walkertown, NCNC6,12062.7%+3.6 pts

90Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92763.0%−1.3 pts

91Trinity, NCNC7,27463.3%+3.9 pts

92Bessemer City, NCNC5,83463.3%+2.8 pts

93Fletcher, NCNC8,37363.6%+3.5 pts

94Nashville, NCNC5,91163.6%−9.7 pts

95Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63763.8%+1.7 pts

96Graham, NCNC20,13163.8%+3.4 pts

97Burlington, NCNC61,49663.8%+0.9 pts

98Hampstead, NCNC9,29263.9%+0.4 pts

99Belmont, NCNC16,41564.0%−0.7 pts

100Long View, NCNC5,38764.1%+1.7 pts

101Greenville, NCNC96,44364.2%+0.6 pts

102Pittsboro, NCNC5,05464.2%+4.8 pts

103Monroe, NCNC42,64464.2%−0.7 pts

104Mills River, NCNC7,50464.4%+4.0 pts

105Gibsonville, NCNC9,87664.7%−4.0 pts

106Statesville, NCNC32,18164.7%−1.9 pts

107Summerfield, NCNC11,32764.7%−0.3 pts

108East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32364.7%−8.7 pts

109Weddington, NCNC14,51764.9%+1.3 pts

110Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16565.0%+11.2 pts

111Sawmills, NCNC5,10565.1%+11.5 pts

112Hillsborough, NCNC9,77865.2%+6.5 pts

113Greensboro, NCNC308,66765.2%+0.1 pts

114Kernersville, NCNC29,12865.4%−0.5 pts

115Half Moon, NCNC7,37865.4%−0.3 pts

116Cornelius, NCNC35,09465.5%+1.0 pts

117Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89665.7%+2.7 pts

118Gastonia, NCNC87,06765.7%+1.4 pts

119Marvin, NCNC7,04065.7%−2.8 pts

120Ogden, NCNC8,24965.8%+0.7 pts

121Garner, NCNC41,56265.8%−4.2 pts

122Matthews, NCNC32,76966.1%−0.7 pts

123Silver Lake, NCNC6,56366.2%−0.9 pts

124Barbecue, NCNC5,91066.3%–

125Mint Hill, NCNC29,47666.4%+1.2 pts

126Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53666.4%−2.6 pts

127Surf City, NCNC5,14266.4%+1.8 pts

128Wilmington, NCNC126,80966.6%+4.5 pts

129Fayetteville, NCNC209,12066.7%+0.5 pts

130Zebulon, NCNC11,93366.7%+11.9 pts

131Clemmons, NCNC22,80867.0%+4.6 pts

132Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04967.1%+4.2 pts

133Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56667.2%+0.9 pts

134Kings Grant, NCNC9,00367.3%+1.4 pts

135Kannapolis, NCNC61,70867.5%+2.2 pts

136Lewisville, NCNC14,42167.8%+1.5 pts

137Aberdeen, NCNC10,06667.9%+3.6 pts

138Piney Green, NCNC14,07868.1%−5.4 pts

139Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73169.0%−5.2 pts

140Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28769.1%+8.9 pts

141Midland, NCNC5,15169.1%+5.7 pts

142Cary, NCNC183,58269.1%−1.5 pts

143Spring Lake, NCNC11,25269.2%+0.6 pts

144Durham, NCNC305,56169.2%+0.3 pts

145Mebane, NCNC21,95269.3%+1.3 pts

146Waxhaw, NCNC23,14069.4%+0.4 pts

147Harrisburg, NCNC20,74269.4%+1.9 pts

148Mount Holly, NCNC19,03369.6%−1.9 pts

149Winterville, NCNC10,97369.8%+1.3 pts

150Dallas, NCNC6,39269.8%+4.8 pts

151Rolesville, NCNC12,83969.8%+3.2 pts

152Wake Forest, NCNC58,14770.0%−1.6 pts

153Mooresville, NCNC55,84270.2%+2.6 pts

154Cramerton, NCNC5,71370.6%−3.5 pts

155Raleigh, NCNC506,30670.9%+0.5 pts

156Concord, NCNC114,59870.9%+1.1 pts

157Northchase, NCNC5,89671.8%+4.9 pts

158Pineville, NCNC11,85171.9%+6.4 pts

159Holly Springs, NCNC50,28872.0%−0.2 pts

160Carrboro, NCNC20,96272.4%+0.6 pts

161Charlotte, NCNC964,78472.6%+0.8 pts

162Apex, NCNC80,41973.0%−1.6 pts

163Stallings, NCNC17,76073.2%+1.8 pts

164Unionville, NCNC7,32273.3%+4.9 pts

165Clayton, NCNC32,63373.4%+4.7 pts

166Wendell, NCNC19,68773.6%+5.3 pts

167Huntersville, NCNC68,53573.8%+3.0 pts

168Moyock, NCNC5,68475.4%+1.7 pts

169Morrisville, NCNC32,46675.5%+1.8 pts

170Murraysville, NCNC16,33975.8%+3.4 pts

171Indian Trail, NCNC44,30376.0%+1.1 pts

172Havelock, NCNC17,43076.0%−1.3 pts

173Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90876.7%+4.0 pts

174Jacksonville, NCNC72,73277.5%−0.9 pts

175Knightdale, NCNC23,14477.8%−0.0 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES