RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most unemployed people, North Carolina counties · 2020

North Carolina counties with the most unemployed people in the civilian labor force, as of the 2020 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 –

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38328,991–

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23525,352–

03Guilford County, NCNC562,23415,997–

04Cumberland County, NCNC338,47310,747–

05Forsyth County, NCNC401,7189,199–

06Durham County, NCNC347,2408,098–

07Pitt County, NCNC182,9367,418–

08Gaston County, NCNC246,5586,657–

09New Hanover County, NCNC245,9596,270–

10Union County, NCNC267,6745,715–

11Onslow County, NCNC217,1755,655–

12Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7255,513–

13Catawba County, NCNC170,1724,809–

14Rowan County, NCNC155,0964,737–

15Iredell County, NCNC211,7984,391–

16Davidson County, NCNC180,1824,356–

17Johnston County, NCNC256,4484,353–

18Alamance County, NCNC186,1774,304–

19Buncombe County, NCNC277,4174,187–

20Robeson County, NCNC119,9413,838–

21Harnett County, NCNC150,1373,803–

22Brunswick County, NCNC174,7023,413–

23Cleveland County, NCNC103,3253,315–

24Wilson County, NCNC81,1503,304–

25Nash County, NCNC99,3653,283–

26Randolph County, NCNC149,5163,134–

27Orange County, NCNC152,4983,048–

28Wayne County, NCNC122,2783,031–

29Burke County, NCNC88,6552,799–

30Rockingham County, NCNC94,1952,694–

31Craven County, NCNC105,0252,617–

32Watauga County, NCNC54,7862,580–

33Caldwell County, NCNC81,1052,503–

34Lenoir County, NCNC55,8372,307–

35Franklin County, NCNC82,0372,270–

36Lincoln County, NCNC98,6542,233–

37Pender County, NCNC72,1112,226–

38Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1212,065–

39Moore County, NCNC110,6191,998–

40Rutherford County, NCNC65,7451,947–

41Sampson County, NCNC61,5041,943–

42Carteret County, NCNC70,4691,725–

43Hoke County, NCNC56,9391,718–

44Henderson County, NCNC122,3751,700–

45Richmond County, NCNC42,0411,679–

46Vance County, NCNC42,6381,657–

47Wilkes County, NCNC66,2331,655–

48Scotland County, NCNC33,3221,647–

49Lee County, NCNC70,2581,630–

50Duplin County, NCNC51,5711,597–

51Surry County, NCNC72,2871,524–

52Chatham County, NCNC85,1111,521–

53Stanly County, NCNC68,8301,483–

54Beaufort County, NCNC44,6701,450–

55Granville County, NCNC61,4211,346–

56Halifax County, NCNC46,5341,302–

57Person County, NCNC40,6361,236–

58Columbus County, NCNC50,4871,230–

59Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2011,215–

60Haywood County, NCNC63,3691,184–

61Jackson County, NCNC45,0391,180–

62McDowell County, NCNC45,1981,157–

63Dare County, NCNC38,2451,101–

64Stokes County, NCNC46,1261,063–

65Martin County, NCNC21,6011,041–

66Alexander County, NCNC36,9581,032–

67Yadkin County, NCNC38,325896–

68Davie County, NCNC45,855844–

69Anson County, NCNC21,758832–

70Hertford County, NCNC19,015817–

71Transylvania County, NCNC34,211811–

72Bertie County, NCNC17,086772–

73Warren County, NCNC18,898750–

74Macon County, NCNC39,232722–

75Bladen County, NCNC30,007655–

76Northampton County, NCNC16,491623–

77Yancey County, NCNC19,084583–

78Caswell County, NCNC22,563577–

79Ashe County, NCNC27,514573–

80Cherokee County, NCNC30,830568–

81Gates County, NCNC10,234518–

82Greene County, NCNC20,700500–

83Currituck County, NCNC33,158453–

84Camden County, NCNC11,315426–

85Avery County, NCNC18,110397–

86Montgomery County, NCNC26,403386–

87Swain County, NCNC14,024380–

88Polk County, NCNC20,533345–

89Jones County, NCNC9,575340–

90Madison County, NCNC22,553336–

91Washington County, NCNC10,638327–

92Chowan County, NCNC14,082318–

93Mitchell County, NCNC15,062310–

94Perquimans County, NCNC13,490298–

95Pamlico County, NCNC12,758220–

96Alleghany County, NCNC11,479162–

97Clay County, NCNC12,239161–

98Graham County, NCNC8,190120–

99Hyde County, NCNC4,55489–

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53762–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS