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Forsyth County, NC Economy
Unemployment was 3.9% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $69,731 a year on average.
- Unemployment rate
- 3.9%
- -0.5 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 181,386
- -1.1% in a year
- Income per person
- $63,989
- 19th of 100 in NC
- Average annual pay
- $69,731
- 190,305 jobs, 2025
Unemployment rate in Forsyth County
Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.
Show as a table
| Period | Forsyth County |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 3.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.6% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2023 | 3.4% |
| Dec 2022 | 3.4% |
| Dec 2021 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2020 | 6.0% |
| Dec 2019 | 3.4% |
| Dec 2018 | 3.8% |
| Dec 2017 | 4.0% |
| Dec 2016 | 4.6% |
| Dec 2015 | 5.0% |
| Dec 2014 | 5.1% |
| Dec 2013 | 5.7% |
| Dec 2012 | 9.0% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
Jobs and pay by industry
Private employers in Forsyth County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 44,720 | +3.7% | $76,344 |
| Retail trade | 21,332 | -4.6% | $40,882 |
| Accommodation and food services | 18,039 | -1.3% | $24,887 |
| Manufacturing | 17,110 | +6.1% | $81,002 |
| Administrative and support services | 11,745 | -6.3% | $50,081 |
| Professional and technical services | 8,570 | +2.6% | $94,676 |
| Finance and insurance | 8,428 | -6.7% | $122,915 |
| Educational services | 6,908 | -0.1% | $131,139 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,639 | 0.0% | $79,774 |
| Other services | 4,834 | -5.7% | $44,828 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4,819 | 0.0% | $59,026 |
| Management of companies | 4,476 | -5.7% | $153,840 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 2,997 | +5.0% | $25,441 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,797 | -8.2% | $64,010 |
| Utilities | 400 | 0.0% | $109,683 |
Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 190,054 jobs (+0.5% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $1,509.
Income and output
Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024
- Total personal income
- $25.48B
- +6.3% in a year
- Income per person
- $63,989
- NC: $65,634
- GDP
- $34.37B
- Current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- +0.3%
- Adjusted for inflation
Show as a table
| Period | Forsyth County |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,989 |
| 2023 | $60,875 |
| 2022 | $58,194 |
| 2021 | $56,905 |
| 2020 | $51,907 |
| 2019 | $48,883 |
| 2018 | $46,711 |
| 2017 | $46,344 |
| 2016 | $44,565 |
| 2015 | $44,086 |
| 2014 | $42,542 |
| 2013 | $39,791 |
| 2012 | $40,575 |
| 2011 | $39,178 |
| 2010 | $39,428 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts
Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Forsyth County.
Business profileBusinesses in Forsyth County
County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024
- Employer businesses
- 9,141
- Employees
- 190,157
- Mid-March
- Annual payroll
- $11.39B
- Self-employed businesses
- 33,189
- $1.56B receipts
By industry
- Retail trade1,35514.8%
- Health care and social assistance96710.6%
- Professional and technical services95710.5%
- Other services94110.3%
- Construction91210.0%
- Accommodation and food services8959.8%
- Administrative and support services5786.3%
- Finance and insurance5516.0%
By number of employees
- 1 to 44,72051.6%
- 5 to 91,58417.3%
- 10 to 191,21813.3%
- 20 to 491,01811.1%
- 50 to 993393.7%
- 100 to 2491761.9%
- 250 to 499540.6%
- 500 to 999170.2%
- 1,000 or more150.2%
Neighboring counties
Unemployment rate, Aug 2026
| County | Rate | 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| Yadkin County | 3.2% | -0.4 pts |
| Surry County | 3.3% | -0.5 pts |
| Stokes County | 3.4% | -0.8 pts |
| Davie County | 3.4% | -0.5 pts |
| Davidson County | 3.6% | -0.6 pts |
| Rockingham County | 3.8% | -0.7 pts |
| Forsyth CountyThis county | 3.9% | -0.5 pts |
| Guilford County | 4.2% | -0.5 pts |
Federal money in Forsyth County
Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations
Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in Forsyth County, NC?
- The unemployment rate in Forsyth County was 3.9% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 181,386 people in the labor force.
- What is the average salary in Forsyth County?
- Jobs in Forsyth County paid an average of $69,731 in 2025 ($1,341 a week), across 190,305 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
- What are the biggest industries in Forsyth County?
- The largest private industries by jobs are health care and social assistance (44,720), retail trade (21,332), accommodation and food services (18,039).
- What is the income per person in Forsyth County?
- Personal income per person was $63,989 in 2024, compared with $65,634 for North Carolina. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
- How many businesses are in Forsyth County?
- Forsyth County had 9,141 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 33,189 businesses with no employees.