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. The median across all 175 is 62.7%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Stokesdale, NC, up 114 places to #34.

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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

03▲1Elon, NCNC11,36642.3%+4.2 pts

04▲1Pinehurst, NCNC18,67043.1%+0.1 pts

05▲8Oak Island, NCNC9,33744.1%−6.3 pts

06▲8Brevard, NCNC8,09844.3%−6.6 pts

07▼1Marion, NCNC7,44045.2%+1.3 pts

08Clinton, NCNC8,46648.7%+0.5 pts

09▼2Black Mountain, NCNC8,49148.8%+4.3 pts

10▲31Oxford, NCNC8,98549.0%−7.1 pts

11▲7Swannanoa, NCNC6,90149.7%−2.0 pts

12Lumberton, NCNC18,95550.5%+0.8 pts

13▲11Mount Airy, NCNC10,68251.0%−1.4 pts

14▲26Porters Neck, NCNC7,65451.0%−5.0 pts

15▼12Lillington, NCNC5,04051.2%+13.3 pts

16▼5Reidsville, NCNC14,69251.8%+2.2 pts

17▲4Smithfield, NCNC13,11452.0%−0.1 pts

18▲4Kinston, NCNC19,70552.0%−0.3 pts

19▼2Laurinburg, NCNC14,58252.2%+0.7 pts

20Hendersonville, NCNC15,86752.2%+0.2 pts

21▲6Tarboro, NCNC10,97952.4%−1.0 pts

22▲23Forest City, NCNC7,41052.6%−4.1 pts

23▲2Lenoir, NCNC18,37252.7%−0.2 pts

24▲57Locust, NCNC6,12053.0%−8.3 pts

25▲82King, NCNC7,97753.5%−10.9 pts

26▲47Roxboro, NCNC8,38053.5%−6.7 pts

27▼8Dunn, NCNC8,81453.6%+1.8 pts

28▲5Boone, NCNC19,92953.9%−0.9 pts

29▲2Cherryville, NCNC6,52354.4%−0.3 pts

30▲21Rockingham, NCNC8,81554.5%−3.1 pts

31▲39Conover, NCNC8,93854.8%−5.0 pts

32▼9Lexington, NCNC20,23854.9%+2.7 pts

33▲16Salisbury, NCNC36,87955.2%−2.3 pts

34▲114Stokesdale, NCNC6,13355.3%−14.2 pts

35▲3Shelby, NCNC23,30955.5%−0.4 pts

36▼21Washington, NCNC9,91055.5%+4.6 pts

37▼21Etowah, NCNC7,96855.7%+4.6 pts

38▲12Woodfin, NCNC8,22956.2%−1.4 pts

39▲22Albemarle, NCNC17,76956.2%−2.7 pts

40▲16Ayden, NCNC5,26356.3%−2.3 pts

41▼15Morganton, NCNC17,84956.4%+3.2 pts

42▲24Butner, NCNC8,11256.8%−2.5 pts

43▼7Newton, NCNC13,82256.9%+1.4 pts

44▼5Eden, NCNC15,50056.9%+0.9 pts

45▼3Goldsboro, NCNC35,01257.1%+0.8 pts

46▼11Leland, NCNC35,73157.5%+2.2 pts

47▼3Waynesville, NCNC11,00657.8%+1.4 pts

48▲5Angier, NCNC9,41058.1%+0.3 pts

49▲13Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56558.1%−0.9 pts

50▼40Cullowhee, NCNC7,97358.1%+9.4 pts

51▲76Creedmoor, NCNC5,04658.2%−8.3 pts

52▼23Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38658.3%+4.5 pts

53▼10Southern Pines, NCNC17,35758.6%+2.2 pts

54▲13Wilson, NCNC49,57258.6%−0.7 pts

55▲27Lincolnton, NCNC12,46558.7%−2.6 pts

56▼47Shallotte, NCNC5,33558.8%+10.2 pts

57▼11Wadesboro, NCNC5,03558.8%+1.7 pts

58▲37Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49458.9%−4.4 pts

59▲24Hickory, NCNC45,97559.2%−2.4 pts

60▼12Westport, NCNC5,91559.2%+2.0 pts

61▼29Henderson, NCNC15,01359.3%+4.5 pts

62▲34Davidson, NCNC16,66259.3%−4.1 pts

63▼11Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87559.3%+1.6 pts

64▲71St. Stephens, NCNC9,45759.3%−8.2 pts

65▼18Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12059.4%+2.3 pts

66▼7Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62259.6%+0.8 pts

67▼9New Bern, NCNC34,72459.7%+1.0 pts

68▲90Spout Springs, NCNC11,24260.0%−11.8 pts

69▲15Archdale, NCNC12,25460.0%−1.8 pts

70▲4Morehead City, NCNC10,43460.0%−0.3 pts

71▼16Asheboro, NCNC27,99060.3%+2.1 pts

72▼35Hamlet, NCNC5,87060.5%+4.6 pts

73▼19Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50560.6%+2.7 pts

74▲6Selma, NCNC7,40660.6%−0.4 pts

75▼15Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90660.6%+1.7 pts

76▲26Hope Mills, NCNC18,32461.0%−3.1 pts

77▼9Thomasville, NCNC27,73361.1%+1.8 pts

78▲54Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64961.2%−5.8 pts

79▲30Midway, NCNC5,10461.3%−3.2 pts

80▲13Williamston, NCNC5,08661.4%−1.8 pts

81▲38Mocksville, NCNC6,28261.4%−4.0 pts

82▼4Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27161.5%+0.5 pts

83▲22Sanford, NCNC34,13861.5%−2.8 pts

84▼20Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11761.8%+2.6 pts

85▲16Asheville, NCNC93,52362.0%−2.0 pts

86▲3High Point, NCNC120,57162.4%−0.1 pts

87▼8Siler City, NCNC8,15562.6%+1.5 pts

88▲12Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87062.7%−1.3 pts

89▼26Walkertown, NCNC6,12062.7%+3.6 pts

90▲14Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92763.0%−1.3 pts

91▼22Trinity, NCNC7,27463.3%+3.9 pts

92▼15Bessemer City, NCNC5,83463.3%+2.8 pts

93▼22Fletcher, NCNC8,37363.6%+3.5 pts

94▲69Nashville, NCNC5,91163.6%−9.7 pts

95▼10Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63763.8%+1.7 pts

96▼21Graham, NCNC20,13163.8%+3.4 pts

97▼7Burlington, NCNC61,49663.8%+0.9 pts

98▼1Hampstead, NCNC9,29263.9%+0.4 pts

99▲12Belmont, NCNC16,41564.0%−0.7 pts

100▼12Long View, NCNC5,38764.1%+1.7 pts

101▼3Greenville, NCNC96,44364.2%+0.6 pts

102▼37Pittsboro, NCNC5,05464.2%+4.8 pts

103▲9Monroe, NCNC42,64464.2%−0.7 pts

104▼28Mills River, NCNC7,50464.4%+4.0 pts

105▲38Gibsonville, NCNC9,87664.7%−4.0 pts

106▲22Statesville, NCNC32,18164.7%−1.9 pts

107▲7Summerfield, NCNC11,32764.7%−0.3 pts

108▲56East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32364.7%−8.7 pts

109▼10Weddington, NCNC14,51764.9%+1.3 pts

110▼80Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16565.0%+11.2 pts

111▼83Sawmills, NCNC5,10565.1%+11.5 pts

112▼55Hillsborough, NCNC9,77865.2%+6.5 pts

113▲4Greensboro, NCNC308,66765.2%+0.1 pts

114▲8Kernersville, NCNC29,12865.4%−0.5 pts

115▲6Half Moon, NCNC7,37865.4%−0.3 pts

116▼8Cornelius, NCNC35,09465.5%+1.0 pts

117▼25Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89665.7%+2.7 pts

118▼15Gastonia, NCNC87,06765.7%+1.4 pts

119▲23Marvin, NCNC7,04065.7%−2.8 pts

120▼5Ogden, NCNC8,24965.8%+0.7 pts

121▲29Garner, NCNC41,56265.8%−4.2 pts

122▲8Matthews, NCNC32,76966.1%−0.7 pts

123▲10Silver Lake, NCNC6,56366.2%−0.9 pts

124Barbecue, NCNC5,91066.3%–

125▼9Mint Hill, NCNC29,47666.4%+1.2 pts

126▲21Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53666.4%−2.6 pts

127▼17Surf City, NCNC5,14266.4%+1.8 pts

128▼42Wilmington, NCNC126,80966.6%+4.5 pts

129▼5Fayetteville, NCNC209,12066.7%+0.5 pts

130▼96Zebulon, NCNC11,93366.7%+11.9 pts

131▼44Clemmons, NCNC22,80867.0%+4.6 pts

132▼41Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04967.1%+4.2 pts

133▼8Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56667.2%+0.9 pts

134▼11Kings Grant, NCNC9,00367.3%+1.4 pts

135▼17Kannapolis, NCNC61,70867.5%+2.2 pts

136▼10Lewisville, NCNC14,42167.8%+1.5 pts

137▼31Aberdeen, NCNC10,06667.9%+3.6 pts

138▲27Piney Green, NCNC14,07868.1%−5.4 pts

139▲30Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73169.0%−5.2 pts

140▼68Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28769.1%+8.9 pts

141▼47Midland, NCNC5,15169.1%+5.7 pts

142▲10Cary, NCNC183,58269.1%−1.5 pts

143▼2Spring Lake, NCNC11,25269.2%+0.6 pts

144▲2Durham, NCNC305,56169.2%+0.3 pts

145▼8Mebane, NCNC21,95269.3%+1.3 pts

146▼1Waxhaw, NCNC23,14069.4%+0.4 pts

147▼13Harrisburg, NCNC20,74269.4%+1.9 pts

148▲7Mount Holly, NCNC19,03369.6%−1.9 pts

149▼9Winterville, NCNC10,97369.8%+1.3 pts

150▼37Dallas, NCNC6,39269.8%+4.8 pts

151▼22Rolesville, NCNC12,83969.8%+3.2 pts

152▲4Wake Forest, NCNC58,14770.0%−1.6 pts

153▼17Mooresville, NCNC55,84270.2%+2.6 pts

154▲14Cramerton, NCNC5,71370.6%−3.5 pts

155▼4Raleigh, NCNC506,30670.9%+0.5 pts

156▼7Concord, NCNC114,59870.9%+1.1 pts

157▼26Northchase, NCNC5,89671.8%+4.9 pts

158▼38Pineville, NCNC11,85171.9%+6.4 pts

159▲1Holly Springs, NCNC50,28872.0%−0.2 pts

160▼1Carrboro, NCNC20,96272.4%+0.6 pts

161▼4Charlotte, NCNC964,78472.6%+0.8 pts

162▲8Apex, NCNC80,41973.0%−1.6 pts

163▼9Stallings, NCNC17,76073.2%+1.8 pts

164▼25Unionville, NCNC7,32273.3%+4.9 pts

165▼21Clayton, NCNC32,63373.4%+4.7 pts

166▼28Wendell, NCNC19,68773.6%+5.3 pts

167▼14Huntersville, NCNC68,53573.8%+3.0 pts

168▼2Moyock, NCNC5,68475.4%+1.7 pts

169▼2Morrisville, NCNC32,46675.5%+1.8 pts

170▼9Murraysville, NCNC16,33975.8%+3.4 pts

171Indian Trail, NCNC44,30376.0%+1.1 pts

172Havelock, NCNC17,43076.0%−1.3 pts

173▼11Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90876.7%+4.0 pts

174Jacksonville, NCNC72,73277.5%−0.9 pts

175▼2Knightdale, NCNC23,14477.8%0.0 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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