Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Durham County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 100 counties in 2014, at $1,266. Pamlico County had the lowest, at $520. The median was $631 and the figure for North Carolina was $865. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,266Durham County
Median631100 counties
North Carolina865History

Map of counties, 2014

Alamance County: 695 USDAlexander County: 594 USDAlleghany County: 546 USDAnson County: 612 USDAshe County: 609 USDAvery County: 544 USDBeaufort County: 676 USDBertie County: 563 USDBladen County: 635 USDBrunswick County: 687 USDBuncombe County: 740 USDBurke County: 654 USDCabarrus County: 712 USDCaldwell County: 628 USDCamden County: 742 USDCarteret County: 581 USDCaswell County: 585 USDCatawba County: 727 USDChatham County: 642 USDCherokee County: 565 USDChowan County: 643 USDClay County: 540 USDCleveland County: 685 USDColumbus County: 626 USDCraven County: 771 USDCumberland County: 749 USDCurrituck County: 631 USDDare County: 571 USDDavidson County: 673 USDDavie County: 628 USDDuplin County: 609 USDDurham County: 1,266 USDEdgecombe County: 643 USDForsyth County: 921 USDFranklin County: 736 USDGaston County: 717 USDGates County: 592 USDGraham County: 619 USDGranville County: 781 USDGreene County: 577 USDGuilford County: 856 USDHalifax County: 610 USDHarnett County: 614 USDHaywood County: 643 USDHenderson County: 689 USDHertford County: 671 USDHoke County: 586 USDHyde County: 562 USDIredell County: 854 USDJackson County: 631 USDJohnston County: 675 USDJones County: 602 USDLee County: 725 USDLenoir County: 645 USDLincoln County: 665 USDMcDowell County: 617 USDMacon County: 604 USDMadison County: 577 USDMartin County: 565 USDMecklenburg County: 1,153 USDMitchell County: 614 USDMontgomery County: 628 USDMoore County: 692 USDNash County: 709 USDNew Hanover County: 777 USDNorthampton County: 623 USDOnslow County: 613 USDOrange County: 974 USDPamlico County: 520 USDPasquotank County: 672 USDPender County: 622 USDPerquimans County: 600 USDPerson County: 707 USDPitt County: 779 USDPolk County: 560 USDRandolph County: 638 USDRichmond County: 617 USDRobeson County: 594 USDRockingham County: 663 USDRowan County: 764 USDRutherford County: 601 USDSampson County: 629 USDScotland County: 658 USDStanly County: 613 USDStokes County: 565 USDSurry County: 619 USDSwain County: 631 USDTransylvania County: 600 USDTyrrell County: 522 USDUnion County: 761 USDVance County: 616 USDWake County: 977 USDWarren County: 613 USDWashington County: 734 USDWatauga County: 633 USDWayne County: 654 USDWilkes County: 630 USDWilson County: 792 USDYadkin County: 601 USDYancey County: 549 USD
  • Under 590
  • 590 to 610
  • 610 to 630
  • 630 to 670
  • 670 to 740
  • 740 and over
USD, 2014. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2014

Durham County: 1,266 USDDurham County1,266Mecklenburg County: 1,153 USDMecklenburg County1,153Wake County: 977 USDWake County977Orange County: 974 USDOrange County974Forsyth County: 921 USDForsyth County921Guilford County: 856 USDGuilford County856Iredell County: 854 USDIredell County854Wilson County: 792 USDWilson County792Granville County: 781 USDGranville County781Pitt County: 779 USDPitt County779New Hanover County: 777 USDNew Hanover County777Craven County: 771 USDCraven County771Rowan County: 764 USDRowan County764Union County: 761 USDUnion County761Cumberland County: 749 USDCumberland County749Camden County: 742 USDCamden County742Buncombe County: 740 USDBuncombe County740Franklin County: 736 USDFranklin County736Washington County: 734 USDWashington County734Catawba County: 727 USDCatawba County727Lee County: 725 USDLee County725Gaston County: 717 USDGaston County717Cabarrus County: 712 USDCabarrus County712Nash County: 709 USDNash County709Person County: 707 USDPerson County707Alamance County: 695 USDAlamance County695Moore County: 692 USDMoore County692Henderson County: 689 USDHenderson County689Brunswick County: 687 USDBrunswick County687Cleveland County: 685 USDCleveland County685Beaufort County: 676 USDBeaufort County676Johnston County: 675 USDJohnston County675Davidson County: 673 USDDavidson County673Pasquotank County: 672 USDPasquotank County672Hertford County: 671 USDHertford County671Lincoln County: 665 USDLincoln County665Rockingham County: 663 USDRockingham County663Scotland County: 658 USDScotland County658Burke County: 654 USDBurke County654Wayne County: 654 USDWayne County654Durham County: 1,266 USDDurham County1,266Mecklenburg County: 1,153 USDMecklenburg County1,153Wake County: 977 USDWake County977Orange County: 974 USDOrange County974Forsyth County: 921 USDForsyth County921Guilford County: 856 USDGuilford County856Iredell County: 854 USDIredell County854Wilson County: 792 USDWilson County792Granville County: 781 USDGranville County781Pitt County: 779 USDPitt County779New Hanover County: 777 USDNew Hanover County777Craven County: 771 USDCraven County771Rowan County: 764 USDRowan County764Union County: 761 USDUnion County761Cumberland County: 749 USDCumberland County749Camden County: 742 USDCamden County742Buncombe County: 740 USDBuncombe County740Franklin County: 736 USDFranklin County736Washington County: 734 USDWashington County734Catawba County: 727 USDCatawba County727Lee County: 725 USDLee County725Gaston County: 717 USDGaston County717Cabarrus County: 712 USDCabarrus County712Nash County: 709 USDNash County709Person County: 707 USDPerson County707Alamance County: 695 USDAlamance County695Moore County: 692 USDMoore County692Henderson County: 689 USDHenderson County689Brunswick County: 687 USDBrunswick County687Cleveland County: 685 USDCleveland County685Beaufort County: 676 USDBeaufort County676Johnston County: 675 USDJohnston County675Davidson County: 673 USDDavidson County673Pasquotank County: 672 USDPasquotank County672Hertford County: 671 USDHertford County671Lincoln County: 665 USDLincoln County665Rockingham County: 663 USDRockingham County663Scotland County: 658 USDScotland County658Burke County: 654 USDBurke County654Wayne County: 654 USDWayne County654
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2014
USD
Change on 2013
1Durham County1,266+2%
2Mecklenburg County1,153+2.8%
3Wake County977+1.9%
4Orange County974+1%
5Forsyth County921+4.9%
6Guilford County856+2.4%
7Iredell County854+5.7%
8Wilson County792+2.9%
9Granville County781+2.8%
10Pitt County779+2.2%
11New Hanover County777+2.2%
12Craven County771+2.7%
13Rowan County764+3.4%
14Union County761+4%
15Cumberland County749-0.3%
16Camden County742-3.1%
17Buncombe County740+2.8%
18Franklin County736+7.3%
19Washington County734+1.1%
20Catawba County727+2.8%
21Lee County725+4.2%
22Gaston County717+2.4%
23Cabarrus County712+2.2%
24Nash County709+6.6%
25Person County707+1.6%
26Alamance County6950%
27Moore County692+2.1%
28Henderson County689+3%
29Brunswick County687+3.2%
30Cleveland County685+3.3%
31Beaufort County676+2.7%
32Johnston County675+0.1%
33Davidson County673+3.4%
34Pasquotank County672+1.8%
35Hertford County671+2.9%
36Lincoln County665+1.8%
37Rockingham County663+2%
38Scotland County658+4.8%
39Burke County654+1.7%
39Wayne County654+0.5%
41Lenoir County645+1.4%
42Chowan County643+2.1%
42Edgecombe County6430%
42Haywood County643+1.6%
45Chatham County642+1.4%
46Randolph County638+0.5%
47Bladen County635-0.6%
48Watauga County633+0.8%
49Currituck County631+0.5%
49Jackson County631+3.3%
49Swain County631+4.8%
52Wilkes County630+3.1%
53Sampson County629+0.8%
54Caldwell County628+2.1%
54Davie County628+2.3%
54Montgomery County628+2.8%
57Columbus County626+2.3%
58Northampton County623+5.4%
59Pender County622+4%
60Graham County619+3.9%
60Surry County619+2.8%
62McDowell County617+2.7%
62Richmond County617+2.8%
64Vance County616+0.7%
65Harnett County614+1.5%
65Mitchell County614+4.1%
67Onslow County613+0.8%
67Stanly County613+0.7%
67Warren County613+6.8%
70Anson County612+2.7%
71Halifax County610-0.5%
72Ashe County609+3.2%
72Duplin County609+1.3%
74Macon County604+2.5%
75Jones County602-4%
76Rutherford County601+1.5%
76Yadkin County601+4.3%
78Perquimans County600+2.4%
78Transylvania County600+0.8%
80Alexander County594+4.9%
80Robeson County594-0.2%
82Gates County592+5%
83Hoke County586-18.9%
84Caswell County585+4.3%
85Carteret County581+1.9%
86Greene County577+1.6%
86Madison County577+1.9%
88Dare County571+0.9%
89Cherokee County565+1.3%
89Martin County565+2.2%
89Stokes County565+1.1%
92Bertie County563+2.9%
93Hyde County562+4.3%
94Polk County560+3.5%
95Yancey County549+1.7%
96Alleghany County546+5.2%
97Avery County544+1.9%
98Clay County540+0.9%
99Tyrrell County522-0.8%
100Pamlico County520-1.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2014) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2014. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-carolina-counties?period=2014. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2014. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-carolina-counties?period=2014.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-carolina-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2014,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2014}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-carolina-counties?period=2014. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2014
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-carolina-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-carolina-counties?period=2014.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Durham County, with $1,266 in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Pamlico County, with $520 in 2014.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings