RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Lowest unemployment, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties ranked by the lowest 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: Jones County, NC, up 55 places to #35.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020

01▲19Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.5%−2.1 pts

02▲5Clay County, NCNC12,2392.6%−0.8 pts

03▲41Transylvania County, NCNC34,2112.8%−2.6 pts

04▲26Macon County, NCNC39,2322.8%−2.0 pts

05▲5Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5372.8%−1.2 pts

06▲2Montgomery County, NCNC26,4032.8%−0.7 pts

07▲9Chatham County, NCNC85,1112.9%−1.5 pts

08▼5Currituck County, NCNC33,1583.0%−0.3 pts

09▲4Haywood County, NCNC63,3693.1%−1.0 pts

10▲19Stokes County, NCNC46,1263.1%−1.7 pts

11▼6Madison County, NCNC22,5533.1%−0.3 pts

12▲26Lincoln County, NCNC98,6543.3%−1.9 pts

13▼12Henderson County, NCNC122,3753.5%+0.4 pts

14▲5Randolph County, NCNC149,5163.5%−1.1 pts

15▲27Perquimans County, NCNC13,4903.6%−1.7 pts

16▼5Orange County, NCNC152,4983.6%−0.4 pts

17▲43Catawba County, NCNC170,1723.7%−2.4 pts

18▼12Alleghany County, NCNC11,4793.7%+0.3 pts

19▼4Johnston County, NCNC256,4483.8%−0.5 pts

20▲28Lee County, NCNC70,2583.8%−1.8 pts

21▲4Durham County, NCNC347,2403.9%−0.8 pts

22▲51Beaufort County, NCNC44,6703.9%−2.9 pts

23▲20Carteret County, NCNC70,4694.0%−1.3 pts

24▲8Stanly County, NCNC68,8304.1%−0.9 pts

25▲6Cherokee County, NCNC30,8304.1%−0.8 pts

26▲24McDowell County, NCNC45,1984.1%−1.6 pts

27▼13Wake County, NCNC1,257,2354.1%−0.1 pts

28▲18Davidson County, NCNC180,1824.1%−1.4 pts

29▲12Chowan County, NCNC14,0824.1%−1.2 pts

30▼2Iredell County, NCNC211,7984.2%−0.6 pts

31▼7Union County, NCNC267,6744.2%−0.5 pts

32▲31Craven County, NCNC105,0254.2%−1.9 pts

33▼31Buncombe County, NCNC277,4174.3%+1.1 pts

34▼7Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3834.3%−0.4 pts

35▲55Jones County, NCNC9,5754.4%−4.1 pts

36▼15Surry County, NCNC72,2874.4%−0.2 pts

37▲31Burke County, NCNC88,6554.4%−2.3 pts

38▲14Columbus County, NCNC50,4874.4%−1.3 pts

39▼2New Hanover County, NCNC245,9594.5%−0.7 pts

40▼14Granville County, NCNC61,4214.6%−0.1 pts

41▲15Guilford County, NCNC562,2344.6%−1.3 pts

42▲30Franklin County, NCNC82,0374.6%−2.2 pts

43▼8Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7254.6%−0.3 pts

44▲14Brunswick County, NCNC174,7024.7%−1.3 pts

45▲22Harnett County, NCNC150,1374.7%−1.9 pts

46▼34Davie County, NCNC45,8554.7%+0.7 pts

47▲12Gaston County, NCNC246,5584.8%−1.2 pts

48▼31Ashe County, NCNC27,5144.8%+0.4 pts

49▲32Pender County, NCNC72,1114.8%−2.7 pts

50▼28Moore County, NCNC110,6194.8%+0.2 pts

51Avery County, NCNC18,1104.8%−0.8 pts

52▲3Jackson County, NCNC45,0394.9%−0.9 pts

53▲22Nash County, NCNC99,3654.9%−2.3 pts

54▼14Wilkes County, NCNC66,2335.0%−0.3 pts

55▼2Alexander County, NCNC36,9585.0%−0.7 pts

56▲9Caldwell County, NCNC81,1055.0%−1.4 pts

57▼23Forsyth County, NCNC401,7185.0%+0.1 pts

58▼19Alamance County, NCNC186,1775.1%−0.2 pts

59▼50Polk County, NCNC20,5335.1%+1.4 pts

60▲39Bertie County, NCNC17,0865.1%−4.9 pts

61▼38Pamlico County, NCNC12,7585.1%+0.5 pts

62▼8Caswell County, NCNC22,5635.2%−0.6 pts

63▲16Cleveland County, NCNC103,3255.2%−2.2 pts

64▼19Wayne County, NCNC122,2785.2%−0.2 pts

65▲6Sampson County, NCNC61,5045.3%−1.5 pts

66▼30Yadkin County, NCNC38,3255.3%+0.2 pts

67▲7Rowan County, NCNC155,0965.3%−1.7 pts

68▼11Duplin County, NCNC51,5715.3%−0.6 pts

69▲16Onslow County, NCNC217,1755.4%−2.6 pts

70▼37Bladen County, NCNC30,0075.4%+0.5 pts

71▲21Camden County, NCNC11,3155.5%−3.2 pts

72▲8Anson County, NCNC21,7585.5%−1.9 pts

73▼11Person County, NCNC40,6365.6%−0.5 pts

74▲17Wilson County, NCNC81,1505.6%−3.0 pts

75▼26Greene County, NCNC20,7005.7%0.0 pts

76▼12Rockingham County, NCNC94,1955.8%−0.6 pts

77▼8Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2015.9%−0.8 pts

78▲19Gates County, NCNC10,2345.9%−3.7 pts

79▼32Dare County, NCNC38,2455.9%+0.3 pts

80▼3Robeson County, NCNC119,9416.0%−1.4 pts

81▲8Hertford County, NCNC19,0156.0%−2.4 pts

82▲16Martin County, NCNC21,6016.1%−3.7 pts

83▼13Rutherford County, NCNC65,7456.3%−0.4 pts

84▼66Mitchell County, NCNC15,0626.5%+2.0 pts

85▼1Hoke County, NCNC56,9396.6%−1.3 pts

86▼82Graham County, NCNC8,1907.0%+3.6 pts

87▲9Warren County, NCNC18,8987.2%−1.8 pts

88▼10Yancey County, NCNC19,0847.3%−0.1 pts

89▼28Swain County, NCNC14,0247.6%+1.6 pts

90▼8Cumberland County, NCNC338,4737.6%−0.2 pts

91▼4Pitt County, NCNC182,9367.8%−0.3 pts

92▲1Watauga County, NCNC54,7867.9%−0.9 pts

93▼10Northampton County, NCNC16,4918.1%+0.3 pts

94▼8Vance County, NCNC42,6388.2%+0.2 pts

95▼1Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1218.7%−0.1 pts

96▼1Lenoir County, NCNC55,8379.0%+0.1 pts

97▼31Halifax County, NCNC46,5349.3%+2.8 pts

98▼10Richmond County, NCNC42,0419.8%+1.6 pts

99▲1Scotland County, NCNC33,32210.9%−0.8 pts

100▼24Washington County, NCNC10,63813.0%+5.7 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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