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North Carolina Economy
Unemployment was 3.4% in Sep 2026, the 15th lowest of 51 states. Personal income averages $65,634 per person.
- Unemployment rate
- 3.4%
- -0.5 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 5,233,573
- -1.4% in a year
- Income per person
- $65,634
- BEA, 2024
- Average annual pay
- $71,533
- QCEW, 2025
Unemployment rate in North Carolina
Monthly, seasonally adjusted, compared with the U.S.
Show as a table
| Period | North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 3.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.8% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.8% |
| Dec 2023 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2022 | 3.6% |
| Dec 2021 | 3.8% |
| Dec 2020 | 5.8% |
| Dec 2019 | 3.7% |
| Dec 2018 | 4.0% |
| Dec 2017 | 4.3% |
| Dec 2016 | 5.0% |
| Dec 2015 | 5.4% |
| Dec 2014 | 5.8% |
| Dec 2013 | 6.4% |
| Dec 2012 | 9.6% |
Beta
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
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Counties in North Carolina
Unemployment (Sep 2026, not seasonally adjusted), income per person (BEA) and average pay (QCEW). Largest labor force first.
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | County | Unemployment | 1 year | Labor force | Income per person | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake County | 2.8% | -0.3 pts | 698,382 | $85,573 | $81,099 |
| 2 | Mecklenburg County | 3.3% | -0.5 pts | 662,350 | $86,098 | $91,381 |
| 3 | Guilford County | 3.4% | -0.8 pts | 265,551 | $63,665 | $63,939 |
| 4 | Durham County | 2.8% | -0.6 pts | 186,784 | $69,077 | $103,812 |
| 5 | Forsyth County | 3.3% | -0.6 pts | 183,230 | $63,989 | $69,731 |
| 6 | Buncombe County | 2.8% | -1.0 pts | 137,407 | $70,623 | $61,596 |
| 7 | Union County | 2.9% | -0.5 pts | 133,173 | $76,528 | $65,474 |
| 8 | Johnston County | 2.7% | -0.4 pts | 130,865 | $55,335 | $56,109 |
| 9 | Cumberland County | 4.0% | -0.6 pts | 128,460 | $52,382 | $57,312 |
| 10 | New Hanover County | 2.8% | -0.5 pts | 127,187 | $69,666 | $65,281 |
| 11 | Cabarrus County | 3.0% | -0.6 pts | 124,308 | $61,113 | $58,049 |
| 12 | Gaston County | 3.2% | -0.7 pts | 116,203 | $55,398 | $56,852 |
| 13 | Iredell County | 2.9% | -0.8 pts | 103,949 | $70,112 | $65,457 |
| 14 | Pitt County | 3.5% | -0.5 pts | 85,216 | $58,766 | $62,996 |
| 15 | Alamance County | 3.2% | -0.6 pts | 83,676 | $54,218 | $53,768 |
| 16 | Davidson County | 3.2% | -0.5 pts | 79,910 | $53,998 | $54,845 |
| 17 | Orange County | 2.8% | -0.6 pts | 78,148 | $87,778 | $80,088 |
| 18 | Catawba County | 3.1% | -0.4 pts | 75,347 | $60,366 | $59,014 |
| 19 | Onslow County | 3.4% | -0.4 pts | 71,803 | $57,450 | $48,929 |
| 20 | Rowan County | 3.1% | -1.2 pts | 70,271 | $51,712 | $60,925 |
| 21 | Brunswick County | 3.6% | -0.5 pts | 69,137 | $64,262 | $54,523 |
| 22 | Randolph County | 3.1% | -0.4 pts | 66,982 | $51,934 | $53,246 |
| 23 | Harnett County | 3.4% | -0.5 pts | 61,122 | $50,128 | $49,532 |
| 24 | Henderson County | 2.6% | -0.5 pts | 56,516 | $63,668 | $56,515 |
| 25 | Wayne County | 3.3% | -0.6 pts | 48,433 | $53,955 | $50,216 |
All 100 counties, A to Z
- Alamance County
- Alexander County
- Alleghany County
- Anson County
- Ashe County
- Avery County
- Beaufort County
- Bertie County
- Bladen County
- Brunswick County
- Buncombe County
- Burke County
- Cabarrus County
- Caldwell County
- Camden County
- Carteret County
- Caswell County
- Catawba County
- Chatham County
- Cherokee County
- Chowan County
- Clay County
- Cleveland County
- Columbus County
- Craven County
- Cumberland County
- Currituck County
- Dare County
- Davidson County
- Davie County
- Duplin County
- Durham County
- Edgecombe County
- Forsyth County
- Franklin County
- Gaston County
- Gates County
- Graham County
- Granville County
- Greene County
- Guilford County
- Halifax County
- Harnett County
- Haywood County
- Henderson County
- Hertford County
- Hoke County
- Hyde County
- Iredell County
- Jackson County
- Johnston County
- Jones County
- Lee County
- Lenoir County
- Lincoln County
- Macon County
- Madison County
- Martin County
- McDowell County
- Mecklenburg County
- Mitchell County
- Montgomery County
- Moore County
- Nash County
- New Hanover County
- Northampton County
- Onslow County
- Orange County
- Pamlico County
- Pasquotank County
- Pender County
- Perquimans County
- Person County
- Pitt County
- Polk County
- Randolph County
- Richmond County
- Robeson County
- Rockingham County
- Rowan County
- Rutherford County
- Sampson County
- Scotland County
- Stanly County
- Stokes County
- Surry County
- Swain County
- Transylvania County
- Tyrrell County
- Union County
- Vance County
- Wake County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Watauga County
- Wayne County
- Wilkes County
- Wilson County
- Yadkin County
- Yancey County
Jobs and pay by industry in North Carolina
Private employers, annual average 2025 (Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 601,703 | +3.8% | $65,012 |
| Retail trade | 526,628 | +0.3% | $40,383 |
| Manufacturing | 461,466 | -0.8% | $78,202 |
| Accommodation and food services | 459,604 | +0.2% | $26,165 |
| Professional and technical services | 334,993 | +0.2% | $117,215 |
| Administrative and support services | 323,694 | -0.2% | $58,653 |
| Finance and insurance | 234,066 | +0.9% | $138,257 |
| Wholesale trade | 208,142 | +0.2% | $104,128 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 183,284 | 0.0% | $61,949 |
| Other services | 132,211 | +1.3% | $50,744 |
| Educational services | 104,599 | +1.0% | $70,189 |
| Management of companies | 83,958 | +0.1% | $146,406 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 83,242 | +1.5% | $43,110 |
| Real estate and rental | 72,824 | +0.7% | $72,599 |
| Utilities | 16,095 | +3.1% | $115,452 |
Government employs 721,410 people (14.6% of all jobs): 80,996 federal, 183,729 state and 456,685 local.
Output and businesses in North Carolina
Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau
- GDP
- $844B
- 2024, current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- +3.3%
- Adjusted for inflation
- Employer businesses
- 258,169
- 4,279,425 employees
- Retail trade35,53413.8%
- Construction28,39011.0%
- Professional and technical services28,18910.9%
- Health care and social assistance27,80910.8%
- Other services26,27110.2%
- Accommodation and food services24,2939.4%
- Real estate and rental15,7966.1%
- Administrative and support services14,9765.8%
- Finance and insurance13,5915.3%
- Wholesale trade11,1774.3%
Source: BEA Regional Economic Accounts; Census County Business Patterns 2023
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in North Carolina?
- North Carolina's unemployment rate was 3.4% in Sep 2026, seasonally adjusted, compared with 4.2% for the U.S.
- Which county in North Carolina has the highest unemployment?
- Edgecombe County has the highest rate at 4.7%, and Currituck County has the lowest at 2.3% (not seasonally adjusted).
- What is the largest industry in North Carolina?
- Health care and social assistance is the largest private employer with 601,703 jobs, followed by retail trade (526,628) and manufacturing (461,466).
- What is the average salary in North Carolina?
- The average annual pay for jobs covered by unemployment insurance in North Carolina was $71,533 in 2025, or $1,376 a week.
- How big is North Carolina's economy?
- North Carolina's GDP was $844B in 2024, about $76,427 per resident.