RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Most unemployed people, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the most unemployed people in the civilian labor force, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the unemployment rate. This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 300. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Swannanoa, NC, up 99 places to #70.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYED RESIDENTSVS 2020

01Charlotte, NCNC964,78424,189−1%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,30612,345+6%

03Greensboro, NCNC308,6678,047−20%

04▲2Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2716,994+5%

05Fayetteville, NCNC209,1206,573−8%

06▼2Durham, NCNC305,5616,345−13%

07Greenville, NCNC96,4434,414+6%

08▲2Cary, NCNC183,5823,410+13%

09▲2Concord, NCNC114,5983,225+21%

10▼2High Point, NCNC120,5713,002−21%

11▼2Wilmington, NCNC126,8092,938−7%

12▲5Asheville, NCNC93,5232,584+42%

13▼1Gastonia, NCNC87,0672,390−3%

14Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1202,076−9%

15▲5Burlington, NCNC61,4961,952+19%

16▼3Wilson, NCNC49,5721,516−34%

17▼2Jacksonville, NCNC72,7321,452−27%

18▲5Apex, NCNC80,4191,448+6%

19▲2Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5651,427−9%

20▲5Indian Trail, NCNC44,3031,3160%

21▲7Kinston, NCNC19,7051,306+14%

22▲16Mooresville, NCNC55,8421,270+72%

23▼7Kannapolis, NCNC61,7081,264−32%

24▼5Boone, NCNC19,9291,233−27%

25▲2Huntersville, NCNC68,5351,183+1%

26▲10Garner, NCNC41,5621,151+44%

27▼3Wake Forest, NCNC58,1471,136−14%

28▼6Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,083−27%

29▲1Statesville, NCNC32,1811,035+7%

30▼4Salisbury, NCNC36,879927−25%

31▼2Monroe, NCNC42,644864−24%

32▼14Hickory, NCNC45,975814−52%

33▲13Holly Springs, NCNC50,288786+34%

34▲11Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536716+20%

35▼4New Bern, NCNC34,724684−26%

36▲26Leland, NCNC35,731677+43%

37▼4Laurinburg, NCNC14,582667−23%

38▲11Henderson, NCNC15,013647+16%

39▲24Graham, NCNC20,131638+35%

40▼6Sanford, NCNC34,138631−26%

41Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622626−11%

42▼10Thomasville, NCNC27,733623−32%

43▲11Morrisville, NCNC32,466623+19%

44▲17Hope Mills, NCNC18,324622+29%

45▼6Mint Hill, NCNC29,476619−15%

46▲21Murraysville, NCNC16,339600+38%

47▲4Eden, NCNC15,500576+6%

48▼11Mount Holly, NCNC19,033552−30%

49▲50Waxhaw, NCNC23,140551+107%

50▲35Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386546+73%

51▲31Northchase, NCNC5,896545+67%

52▲49Stallings, NCNC17,760531+103%

53▲31Cullowhee, NCNC7,973527+63%

54▲18Clemmons, NCNC22,808518+35%

55▼15Asheboro, NCNC27,990513−27%

56▼21Lexington, NCNC20,238503−38%

57▲2Roxboro, NCNC8,3804920%

58▲7Carrboro, NCNC20,962457+2%

59▲20Clayton, NCNC32,633455+35%

60▲4Southern Pines, NCNC17,357450−3%

61▼8Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117440−16%

62▼15Cornelius, NCNC35,094426−26%

63▲37Rockingham, NCNC8,815424+62%

64▼9Albemarle, NCNC17,769424−18%

65▼7Porters Neck, NCNC7,654412−17%

66▼9Mebane, NCNC21,952411−19%

67▲1Knightdale, NCNC23,144404−2%

68▼24Lumberton, NCNC18,955394−35%

69▼19Kernersville, NCNC29,128393−29%

70▲99Swannanoa, NCNC6,901393+1056%

71▲25Newton, NCNC13,822385+37%

72▼24Reidsville, NCNC14,692382−32%

73▼17Lenoir, NCNC18,372363−28%

74▼5Smithfield, NCNC13,114361−9%

75▼33Anderson Creek, NCNC13,927359−46%

76▼16Piney Green, NCNC14,078354−27%

77▼34Shelby, NCNC23,309353−46%

78▼26Matthews, NCNC32,769350−34%

79▲41Zebulon, NCNC11,933331+78%

80▲10Belmont, NCNC16,415327+12%

81▲7Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731321+5%

82▲10Winterville, NCNC10,973321+11%

83▲35Davidson, NCNC16,662319+57%

84▲40Pineville, NCNC11,851318+100%

85▲28Pinehurst, NCNC18,670313+42%

86▲7Harrisburg, NCNC20,742312+9%

87▼12Havelock, NCNC17,430310−15%

88▼5Morganton, NCNC17,849300−8%

89▼3Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870289−7%

90▼10Hampstead, NCNC9,292265−21%

91▼21Williamston, NCNC5,086250−36%

92▲25Hamlet, NCNC5,870248+22%

93▲39Briar Chapel, NCNC6,049246+85%

94▼21Oxford, NCNC8,985246−33%

95▲50Hendersonville, NCNC15,867223+108%

96▲1Forest City, NCNC7,410219−22%

97▲24Elon, NCNC11,366217+20%

98▼4Sawmills, NCNC5,105215−24%

99▲5Tarboro, NCNC10,979210−15%

100▼34Lincolnton, NCNC12,465207−53%

101▲8Hillsborough, NCNC9,778207−12%

102▲21Rolesville, NCNC12,839207+29%

103▼26Spring Lake, NCNC11,252203−42%

104▼23Spout Springs, NCNC11,242202−40%

105▼18Nashville, NCNC5,911201−34%

106▲5Butner, NCNC8,112200−14%

107▲57Creedmoor, NCNC5,046194+296%

108▼13Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637194−31%

109▲48Westport, NCNC5,915194+181%

110Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,906194−17%

111▲24Silver Lake, NCNC6,563191+49%

112▲16Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494182+31%

113▼24Siler City, NCNC8,155181−40%

114▲20Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566181+39%

115▼24Mount Airy, NCNC10,682181−37%

116▼38Wadesboro, NCNC5,035167−52%

117▲8Bessemer City, NCNC5,834166+7%

118▼15Dallas, NCNC6,392163−35%

119▲14Unionville, NCNC7,322163+23%

120▼5Selma, NCNC7,406161−24%

121▲23Gibsonville, NCNC9,876159+49%

122▼48Washington, NCNC9,910159−57%

123▼4Clinton, NCNC8,466158−18%

124▲5East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323158+14%

125▼19Ayden, NCNC5,263156−36%

126▼21Marion, NCNC7,440154−37%

127▲35Angier, NCNC9,410152+167%

128▲3Aberdeen, NCNC10,066150+10%

129▼27Archdale, NCNC12,254148−43%

130▲18Kings Grant, NCNC9,003145+46%

131▲28Black Mountain, NCNC8,491145+116%

132▲21Fletcher, NCNC8,373131+64%

133▼25Lewisville, NCNC14,421130−45%

134▲8Marvin, NCNC7,040130+19%

135▲1Mocksville, NCNC6,282124−2%

136▼38Dunn, NCNC8,814122−55%

137▲13Woodfin, NCNC8,229122+33%

138▲18Weddington, NCNC14,517119+65%

139▲1Conover, NCNC8,938118+1%

140▼13Summerfield, NCNC11,327117−17%

141▼2Trinity, NCNC7,274114−3%

142▼30Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287112−50%

143▼2Oak Island, NCNC9,337111−1%

144▼7Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875110−9%

145▼29Brevard, NCNC8,098109−47%

146▲8Cramerton, NCNC5,713104+39%

147▲24Etowah, NCNC7,968104+352%

148▲12Mills River, NCNC7,504103+58%

149▲9Wendell, NCNC19,687100+47%

150▲2Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89697+20%

151▲17St. James, NCNC7,31896+174%

152▼9Waynesville, NCNC11,00696−11%

153▼31Morehead City, NCNC10,43495−46%

154▲12Moyock, NCNC5,68492+156%

155Locust, NCNC6,12088+22%

156▼5Cherryville, NCNC6,52381−6%

157▼31Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54075−50%

158▼12Walkertown, NCNC6,12075−27%

159▲13Lillington, NCNC5,04073+329%

160▲3Shallotte, NCNC5,33572+33%

161▼54Long View, NCNC5,38770−71%

162▼48Midway, NCNC5,10468−68%

163▲10Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50562+464%

164▼15Surf City, NCNC5,14262−35%

165▼18Ogden, NCNC8,24961−40%

166▼28Stokesdale, NCNC6,13350−58%

167▲3Midland, NCNC5,15149+104%

168▼1Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16548+33%

169▼98St. Stephens, NCNC9,45748−88%

170Barbecue, NCNC5,91045–

171▼95Half Moon, NCNC7,37843−88%

172▼7Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90842+11%

173▼12King, NCNC7,97731−47%

174▼44Pittsboro, NCNC5,05430−78%

175▼1Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6490–

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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