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.

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLowest unemployment Highest unemployment Highest labor force participation Lowest labor force participation Most white-collar workforce Most self-employed workers

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%

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

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

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

11Gaston County, NCNC246,5585,597−16%

12Union County, NCNC267,6745,551−3%

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

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

15Iredell County, NCNC211,7984,266−3%

16Onslow County, NCNC217,1753,969−30%

17Rowan County, NCNC155,0963,826−19%

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

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

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

21Orange County, NCNC152,4982,818−8%

22Wayne County, NCNC122,2782,810−7%

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

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

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

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

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

28Watauga County, NCNC54,7862,285−11%

29Nash County, NCNC99,3652,276−31%

30Lenoir County, NCNC55,8372,233−3%

31Moore County, NCNC110,6192,155+8%

32Wilson County, NCNC81,1502,049−38%

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

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

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

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

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

38Burke County, NCNC88,6551,865−33%

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

40Craven County, NCNC105,0251,822−30%

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

42Vance County, NCNC42,6381,599−4%

43Lincoln County, NCNC98,6541,543−31%

44Scotland County, NCNC33,3221,535−7%

45Pender County, NCNC72,1111,518−32%

46Wilkes County, NCNC66,2331,516−8%

47Surry County, NCNC72,2871,455−5%

48Hoke County, NCNC56,9391,412−18%

49Sampson County, NCNC61,5041,378−29%

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

51Stanly County, NCNC68,8301,235−17%

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

53Duplin County, NCNC51,5711,225−23%

54Dare County, NCNC38,2451,216+10%

55Lee County, NCNC70,2581,207−26%

56Chatham County, NCNC85,1111,140−25%

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

58Person County, NCNC40,6361,095−11%

59Jackson County, NCNC45,0391,024−13%

60Davie County, NCNC45,8551,016+20%

61Yadkin County, NCNC38,325950+6%

62Haywood County, NCNC63,369915−23%

63Columbus County, NCNC50,487908−26%

64Alexander County, NCNC36,958857−17%

65McDowell County, NCNC45,198823−29%

66Beaufort County, NCNC44,670803−45%

67Stokes County, NCNC46,126650−39%

68Bladen County, NCNC30,007648−1%

69Yancey County, NCNC19,084625+7%

70Martin County, NCNC21,601617−41%

71Northampton County, NCNC16,491606−3%

72Ashe County, NCNC27,514585+2%

73Warren County, NCNC18,898571−24%

74Washington County, NCNC10,638533+63%

75Anson County, NCNC21,758524−37%

76Cherokee County, NCNC30,830510−10%

77Hertford County, NCNC19,015502−39%

78Swain County, NCNC14,024499+31%

79Greene County, NCNC20,700495−1%

80Caswell County, NCNC22,563494−14%

81Macon County, NCNC39,232477−34%

82Currituck County, NCNC33,158471+4%

83Polk County, NCNC20,533471+37%

84Mitchell County, NCNC15,062464+50%

85Transylvania County, NCNC34,211395−51%

86Avery County, NCNC18,110352−11%

87Bertie County, NCNC17,086344−55%

88Madison County, NCNC22,553326−3%

89Montgomery County, NCNC26,403324−16%

90Camden County, NCNC11,315316−26%

91Gates County, NCNC10,234278−46%

92Chowan County, NCNC14,082263−17%

93Graham County, NCNC8,190241+101%

94Pamlico County, NCNC12,758238+8%

95Perquimans County, NCNC13,490205−31%

96Jones County, NCNC9,575183−46%

97Alleghany County, NCNC11,479169+4%

98Clay County, NCNC12,239121−25%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,55445−49%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53735−44%

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES