RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Most white-collar workforce, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities ranked by the share of employed residents in management, business, science, and arts occupations (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 40.7%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Swannanoa, NC, up 100 places to #63.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPMANAGEMENT & PROFESSIONALVS 2010

01▲2Morrisville, NCNC32,46671.9%+9.0 pts

02▼1Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04970.2%–

03▲2Carrboro, NCNC20,96269.2%+17.1 pts

04▲3Cary, NCNC183,58268.2%+7.0 pts

05▼3Marvin, NCNC7,04067.3%+12.1 pts

06▲4Davidson, NCNC16,66265.8%+5.6 pts

07▲5Holly Springs, NCNC50,28865.8%+10.7 pts

08▲3Apex, NCNC80,41965.4%+8.2 pts

09▼5St. James, NCNC7,31865.3%+12.7 pts

10▼4Weddington, NCNC14,51764.7%+9.1 pts

11▲4Hillsborough, NCNC9,77864.5%+22.1 pts

12▲4Wake Forest, NCNC58,14764.2%+15.9 pts

13▲8Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49464.0%+29.9 pts

14▲23Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50563.3%+24.6 pts

15▲4Summerfield, NCNC11,32763.1%+13.9 pts

16▲13Stokesdale, NCNC6,13362.1%+31.4 pts

17▼3Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56561.9%+2.0 pts

18▲15Cornelius, NCNC35,09460.9%+13.2 pts

19▲25Porters Neck, NCNC7,65460.7%+7.9 pts

20Huntersville, NCNC68,53559.7%+10.7 pts

21▼12Rolesville, NCNC12,83959.5%+12.4 pts

22▲4Durham, NCNC305,56158.4%+10.5 pts

23▲20Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56658.3%+11.1 pts

24▲16Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53657.7%+18.0 pts

25▼3Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89657.7%−1.1 pts

26▼18Westport, NCNC5,91557.4%−2.6 pts

27▼9Harrisburg, NCNC20,74256.9%+6.5 pts

28▲4Knightdale, NCNC23,14456.9%+12.9 pts

29▲26Pittsboro, NCNC5,05456.7%+3.4 pts

30▼17Spout Springs, NCNC11,24256.7%–

31Pinehurst, NCNC18,67056.6%+14.3 pts

32▼9Waxhaw, NCNC23,14056.2%+11.8 pts

33▲15Ogden, NCNC8,24955.3%+3.6 pts

34▲33Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90854.8%+28.1 pts

35▼11Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63754.7%+13.6 pts

36▲6Stallings, NCNC17,76054.2%+4.6 pts

37▲4Raleigh, NCNC506,30653.9%+8.6 pts

38▼21Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87053.8%+7.4 pts

39▼1Clemmons, NCNC22,80852.7%+0.3 pts

40▼5Belmont, NCNC16,41552.1%+7.0 pts

41▲10Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90652.0%–

42▼6Garner, NCNC41,56251.7%+8.7 pts

43▼9Winterville, NCNC10,97351.6%+5.4 pts

44▲34Surf City, NCNC5,14251.1%+11.6 pts

45▼17Matthews, NCNC32,76950.8%+2.8 pts

46Mint Hill, NCNC29,47650.1%+9.3 pts

47▲10Asheville, NCNC93,52349.5%+11.4 pts

48▲5Mebane, NCNC21,95248.6%+8.8 pts

49▲23Pineville, NCNC11,85148.5%+20.1 pts

50▼5Lewisville, NCNC14,42148.3%+1.6 pts

51▲34Locust, NCNC6,12048.1%+11.8 pts

52▲38Oak Island, NCNC9,33747.4%+11.7 pts

53▲1Charlotte, NCNC964,78447.4%+8.1 pts

54▲11Murraysville, NCNC16,33947.1%+12.5 pts

55▲54Zebulon, NCNC11,93346.8%+25.0 pts

56▼17Southern Pines, NCNC17,35746.6%+4.4 pts

57▲6Clayton, NCNC32,63346.3%+3.4 pts

58▼2Indian Trail, NCNC44,30346.2%+8.6 pts

59▲2Wilmington, NCNC126,80946.1%+10.5 pts

60▼11Mooresville, NCNC55,84246.0%+12.6 pts

61▲3Cramerton, NCNC5,71345.6%+4.9 pts

62▼37Elon, NCNC11,36645.3%+6.0 pts

63▲100Swannanoa, NCNC6,90145.1%+21.4 pts

64▲23Wendell, NCNC19,68744.9%+19.6 pts

65▼5Hampstead, NCNC9,29244.7%+9.4 pts

66▲18Black Mountain, NCNC8,49144.0%+12.2 pts

67▲7Brevard, NCNC8,09843.9%+0.9 pts

68▲32Creedmoor, NCNC5,04643.9%+4.4 pts

69▼1Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27143.9%+7.4 pts

70▼8Kernersville, NCNC29,12843.9%+7.9 pts

71▲15Leland, NCNC35,73143.8%+4.3 pts

72▼2Moyock, NCNC5,68443.8%+1.9 pts

73▼15Concord, NCNC114,59843.7%+7.5 pts

74▲9Greenville, NCNC96,44343.6%+3.3 pts

75Morehead City, NCNC10,43443.6%+7.9 pts

76▲1Mount Holly, NCNC19,03343.0%+9.1 pts

77▲22Waynesville, NCNC11,00642.8%+13.7 pts

78▲29Oxford, NCNC8,98542.7%+12.7 pts

79▼32Aberdeen, NCNC10,06642.7%+4.9 pts

80▼50Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54042.5%+6.6 pts

81▲23Walkertown, NCNC6,12042.4%+8.2 pts

82▲39Fletcher, NCNC8,37342.4%+5.0 pts

83▼56Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16541.7%+7.9 pts

84▼15Hickory, NCNC45,97541.5%+6.1 pts

85▲33Trinity, NCNC7,27441.4%+19.0 pts

86▲2Angier, NCNC9,41041.3%+10.9 pts

87▼35Northchase, NCNC5,89641.0%+5.7 pts

88▲5Woodfin, NCNC8,22940.7%+3.1 pts

89▲5Gibsonville, NCNC9,87640.5%+1.1 pts

90▲11Lillington, NCNC5,04040.5%+8.5 pts

91▼9Unionville, NCNC7,32240.3%+15.9 pts

92▼33Mills River, NCNC7,50440.1%+2.1 pts

93▼43Ayden, NCNC5,26340.1%+11.9 pts

94▲18New Bern, NCNC34,72439.8%+9.6 pts

95▼4High Point, NCNC120,57139.5%+6.9 pts

96▲32Rockingham, NCNC8,81538.8%+16.8 pts

97▼1Kannapolis, NCNC61,70838.7%+10.1 pts

98▲31Hope Mills, NCNC18,32438.7%+3.0 pts

99▼20Greensboro, NCNC308,66738.7%+3.2 pts

100▼34Smithfield, NCNC13,11438.4%+7.3 pts

101▲39Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73138.2%+8.4 pts

102▲8Wilson, NCNC49,57237.7%+6.1 pts

103Barbecue, NCNC5,91037.7%–

104▲11Burlington, NCNC61,49637.5%+6.4 pts

105▼25Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92737.3%–

106▲5Salisbury, NCNC36,87937.1%+5.8 pts

107▲50Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87536.9%+16.8 pts

108▲18Jacksonville, NCNC72,73236.8%+2.0 pts

109▲39Silver Lake, NCNC6,56336.8%+3.8 pts

110▲3Fayetteville, NCNC209,12036.7%+3.7 pts

111▲12Midland, NCNC5,15136.4%+10.7 pts

112▲30East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32336.3%+15.1 pts

113▼18Shelby, NCNC23,30936.2%−1.6 pts

114▲30Etowah, NCNC7,96835.9%+6.3 pts

115▼9Gastonia, NCNC87,06735.9%+3.1 pts

116▼19Shallotte, NCNC5,33535.8%−4.7 pts

117▼9Archdale, NCNC12,25435.6%+5.9 pts

118▼29Butner, NCNC8,11235.5%+9.5 pts

119▲8Dunn, NCNC8,81435.0%+9.5 pts

120▲10Hendersonville, NCNC15,86734.7%+2.8 pts

121▼40Clinton, NCNC8,46634.4%−1.2 pts

122▲38St. Stephens, NCNC9,45734.2%+11.8 pts

123▼9Dallas, NCNC6,39234.1%−1.9 pts

124▲9Midway, NCNC5,10434.0%+0.8 pts

125▲7Williamston, NCNC5,08634.0%+7.7 pts

126▲35Asheboro, NCNC27,99033.8%+7.3 pts

127▲39Hamlet, NCNC5,87033.7%+4.4 pts

128▼52King, NCNC7,97733.6%+1.2 pts

129▲7Havelock, NCNC17,43033.5%+12.2 pts

130▼6Boone, NCNC19,92933.3%+6.8 pts

131▲8Graham, NCNC20,13133.3%+7.7 pts

132▲13Henderson, NCNC15,01333.1%+8.7 pts

133▼30Lumberton, NCNC18,95533.0%+2.2 pts

134▲12Morganton, NCNC17,84932.9%+2.3 pts

135▲34Lincolnton, NCNC12,46532.8%+7.6 pts

136▲2Kings Grant, NCNC9,00332.8%+6.9 pts

137▼20Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62232.8%+5.2 pts

138▼67Washington, NCNC9,91032.7%−2.3 pts

139▼37Spring Lake, NCNC11,25232.2%+8.1 pts

140▲10Goldsboro, NCNC35,01231.6%−1.5 pts

141▼6Mocksville, NCNC6,28231.5%+2.1 pts

142▲5Albemarle, NCNC17,76931.5%+3.6 pts

143▼9Kinston, NCNC19,70531.3%+4.4 pts

144▼71Mount Airy, NCNC10,68231.2%−2.3 pts

145▲11Reidsville, NCNC14,69231.0%+4.2 pts

146▼27Conover, NCNC8,93830.9%−5.3 pts

147▼22Statesville, NCNC32,18130.9%+4.0 pts

148▲4Lenoir, NCNC18,37230.8%+3.0 pts

149▼29Nashville, NCNC5,91130.6%−3.4 pts

150▼34Cherryville, NCNC6,52330.6%+2.3 pts

151▲7Newton, NCNC13,82230.5%+3.0 pts

152▼15Tarboro, NCNC10,97930.3%+2.0 pts

153▼48Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38630.0%−1.2 pts

154▲1Monroe, NCNC42,64430.0%+6.2 pts

155▼12Sanford, NCNC34,13829.6%+2.0 pts

156▲12Marion, NCNC7,44029.6%+2.3 pts

157▼26Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12029.4%−1.5 pts

158▼7Piney Green, NCNC14,07828.5%+3.2 pts

159▼37Laurinburg, NCNC14,58228.5%−5.7 pts

160▼68Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64928.1%−5.1 pts

161▲1Sawmills, NCNC5,10527.3%−3.4 pts

162▼64Half Moon, NCNC7,37827.1%−4.7 pts

163▲11Bessemer City, NCNC5,83426.5%+11.9 pts

164▼5Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11726.3%+0.2 pts

165▲6Wadesboro, NCNC5,03525.9%−0.7 pts

166▼2Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28725.0%−9.2 pts

167▼14Thomasville, NCNC27,73324.9%+2.2 pts

168▼19Cullowhee, NCNC7,97324.7%−5.0 pts

169▼2Selma, NCNC7,40624.5%+1.4 pts

170▲3Roxboro, NCNC8,38023.7%−0.2 pts

171▼17Eden, NCNC15,50023.5%+5.5 pts

172▼31Forest City, NCNC7,41022.0%−2.3 pts

173▼3Long View, NCNC5,38720.0%0.0 pts

174▼9Siler City, NCNC8,15519.7%+7.4 pts

175▼3Lexington, NCNC20,23818.8%+1.3 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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