RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most unemployed people, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties 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 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 1,284. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Halifax County, NC, up 19 places to #37.

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYED RESIDENTSVS 2020

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38328,644−1%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23526,722+5%

03Guilford County, NCNC562,23412,905−19%

04Cumberland County, NCNC338,47310,368−4%

05Forsyth County, NCNC401,7189,761+6%

06Durham County, NCNC347,2407,213−11%

07Pitt County, NCNC182,9367,017−5%

08▲11Buncombe County, NCNC277,4175,851+40%

09New Hanover County, NCNC245,9595,808−7%

10▲2Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7255,807+5%

11▼3Gaston County, NCNC246,5585,597−16%

12▼2Union County, NCNC267,6745,551−3%

13▲4Johnston County, NCNC256,4484,600+6%

14▲4Alamance County, NCNC186,1774,544+6%

15Iredell County, NCNC211,7984,266−3%

16▼5Onslow County, NCNC217,1753,969−30%

17▼3Rowan County, NCNC155,0963,826−19%

18▼2Davidson County, NCNC180,1823,418−22%

19▲3Brunswick County, NCNC174,7023,049−11%

20▼7Catawba County, NCNC170,1722,938−39%

21▲6Orange County, NCNC152,4982,818−8%

22▲6Wayne County, NCNC122,2782,810−7%

23▼2Harnett County, NCNC150,1372,799−26%

24▼4Robeson County, NCNC119,9412,725−29%

25▲1Randolph County, NCNC149,5162,485−21%

26▲4Rockingham County, NCNC94,1952,481−8%

27▼4Cleveland County, NCNC103,3252,463−26%

28▲4Watauga County, NCNC54,7862,285−11%

29▼4Nash County, NCNC99,3652,276−31%

30▲4Lenoir County, NCNC55,8372,233−3%

31▲8Moore County, NCNC110,6192,155+8%

32▼8Wilson County, NCNC81,1502,049−38%

33▲5Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1211,979−4%

34▲10Henderson County, NCNC122,3751,960+15%

35▼2Caldwell County, NCNC81,1051,958−22%

36▲9Richmond County, NCNC42,0411,885+12%

37▲19Halifax County, NCNC46,5341,874+44%

38▼9Burke County, NCNC88,6551,865−33%

39▲1Rutherford County, NCNC65,7451,863−4%

40▼9Craven County, NCNC105,0251,822−30%

41▼6Franklin County, NCNC82,0371,698−25%

42▲4Vance County, NCNC42,6381,599−4%

43▼7Lincoln County, NCNC98,6541,543−31%

44▲4Scotland County, NCNC33,3221,535−7%

45▼8Pender County, NCNC72,1111,518−32%

46▲1Wilkes County, NCNC66,2331,516−8%

47▲4Surry County, NCNC72,2871,455−5%

48▼5Hoke County, NCNC56,9391,412−18%

49▼8Sampson County, NCNC61,5041,378−29%

50▼8Carteret County, NCNC70,4691,284−26%

51▲2Stanly County, NCNC68,8301,235−17%

52▲3Granville County, NCNC61,4211,228−9%

53▼3Duplin County, NCNC51,5711,225−23%

54▲9Dare County, NCNC38,2451,216+10%

55▼6Lee County, NCNC70,2581,207−26%

56▼4Chatham County, NCNC85,1111,140−25%

57▲2Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2011,109−9%

58▼1Person County, NCNC40,6361,095−11%

59▲2Jackson County, NCNC45,0391,024−13%

60▲8Davie County, NCNC45,8551,016+20%

61▲6Yadkin County, NCNC38,325950+6%

62▼2Haywood County, NCNC63,369915−23%

63▼5Columbus County, NCNC50,487908−26%

64▲2Alexander County, NCNC36,958857−17%

65▼3McDowell County, NCNC45,198823−29%

66▼12Beaufort County, NCNC44,670803−45%

67▼3Stokes County, NCNC46,126650−39%

68▲7Bladen County, NCNC30,007648−1%

69▲8Yancey County, NCNC19,084625+7%

70▼5Martin County, NCNC21,601617−41%

71▲5Northampton County, NCNC16,491606−3%

72▲7Ashe County, NCNC27,514585+2%

73Warren County, NCNC18,898571−24%

74▲17Washington County, NCNC10,638533+63%

75▼6Anson County, NCNC21,758524−37%

76▲4Cherokee County, NCNC30,830510−10%

77▼7Hertford County, NCNC19,015502−39%

78▲9Swain County, NCNC14,024499+31%

79▲3Greene County, NCNC20,700495−1%

80▼2Caswell County, NCNC22,563494−14%

81▼7Macon County, NCNC39,232477−34%

82▲1Currituck County, NCNC33,158471+4%

83▲5Polk County, NCNC20,533471+37%

84▲9Mitchell County, NCNC15,062464+50%

85▼14Transylvania County, NCNC34,211395−51%

86▼1Avery County, NCNC18,110352−11%

87▼15Bertie County, NCNC17,086344−55%

88▲2Madison County, NCNC22,553326−3%

89▼3Montgomery County, NCNC26,403324−16%

90▼6Camden County, NCNC11,315316−26%

91▼10Gates County, NCNC10,234278−46%

92Chowan County, NCNC14,082263−17%

93▲5Graham County, NCNC8,190241+101%

94▲1Pamlico County, NCNC12,758238+8%

95▼1Perquimans County, NCNC13,490205−31%

96▼7Jones County, NCNC9,575183−46%

97▼1Alleghany County, NCNC11,479169+4%

98▼1Clay County, NCNC12,239121−25%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,55445−49%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53735−44%

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