Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census)

Mecklenburg County had the highest business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census) of 85 counties in 2017, at $4.02 billion. Jones County had the lowest, at $3.05 million. The median was $94.17 million and the figure for North Carolina was $24.91 billion. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest4,016.2Mecklenburg County
Median94.285 counties
North Carolina24,913History

Map of counties, 2017

Alamance County: 365.7 USD millionAlexander County: 25.6 USD millionAlleghany County: 15.8 USD millionAnson County: 20.6 USD millionAvery County: 46.8 USD millionBeaufort County: 65.8 USD millionBladen County: 31.9 USD millionBrunswick County: 259.6 USD millionBuncombe County: 1,177.3 USD millionBurke County: 138.6 USD millionCabarrus County: 569.6 USD millionCaldwell County: 97.7 USD millionCamden County: 4.2 USD millionCarteret County: 211.9 USD millionCatawba County: 378 USD millionChatham County: 86.3 USD millionCherokee County: 230.4 USD millionChowan County: 20.4 USD millionCleveland County: 147.3 USD millionColumbus County: 61.9 USD millionCraven County: 199.8 USD millionCumberland County: 760.9 USD millionCurrituck County: 53.1 USD millionDavidson County: 192.5 USD millionDavie County: 56.8 USD millionDuplin County: 54 USD millionDurham County: 1,061.2 USD millionEdgecombe County: 45.8 USD millionForsyth County: 934.5 USD millionFranklin County: 40.3 USD millionGaston County: 394.5 USD millionGranville County: 54.3 USD millionGreene County: 11.2 USD millionGuilford County: 1,433.5 USD millionHarnett County: 146 USD millionHaywood County: 129.6 USD millionHenderson County: 229.5 USD millionHertford County: 30.6 USD millionHoke County: 24.2 USD millionHyde County: 17.6 USD millionIredell County: 393.4 USD millionJackson County: 715.1 USD millionJohnston County: 313.9 USD millionJones County: 3 USD millionLee County: 102.5 USD millionLenoir County: 94.2 USD millionLincoln County: 110.9 USD millionMcDowell County: 58.1 USD millionMacon County: 122.5 USD millionMadison County: 21.7 USD millionMecklenburg County: 4,016.2 USD millionMitchell County: 23.6 USD millionMoore County: 309.4 USD millionNash County: 194.3 USD millionNew Hanover County: 856.2 USD millionOnslow County: 435.4 USD millionOrange County: 349.4 USD millionPamlico County: 32.8 USD millionPasquotank County: 89.2 USD millionPender County: 78.6 USD millionPerquimans County: 13.4 USD millionPerson County: 49.7 USD millionPitt County: 417.1 USD millionRandolph County: 193.9 USD millionRichmond County: 49.5 USD millionRobeson County: 190.5 USD millionRockingham County: 109.4 USD millionRowan County: 218.8 USD millionRutherford County: 87.5 USD millionSampson County: 61.3 USD millionScotland County: 55.4 USD millionStanly County: 88 USD millionStokes County: 41.1 USD millionSurry County: 127.8 USD millionSwain County: 64.9 USD millionTransylvania County: 91.1 USD millionUnion County: 302 USD millionVance County: 68.6 USD millionWake County: 3,206.7 USD millionWashington County: 15.4 USD millionWatauga County: 190.4 USD millionWayne County: 202.4 USD millionWilkes County: 88.5 USD millionYadkin County: 41.1 USD millionYancey County: 13.6 USD million
  • Under 30
  • 30 to 60
  • 60 to 90
  • 90 to 190
  • 190 to 380
  • 380 and over
  • No data
USD million, 2017. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Mecklenburg County: 4,016.2 USD millionMecklenburg County4,016.2Wake County: 3,206.7 USD millionWake County3,206.7Guilford County: 1,433.5 USD millionGuilford County1,433.5Buncombe County: 1,177.3 USD millionBuncombe County1,177.3Durham County: 1,061.2 USD millionDurham County1,061.2Forsyth County: 934.5 USD millionForsyth County934.5New Hanover County: 856.2 USD millionNew Hanover County856.2Cumberland County: 760.9 USD millionCumberland County760.9Jackson County: 715.1 USD millionJackson County715.1Cabarrus County: 569.6 USD millionCabarrus County569.6Onslow County: 435.4 USD millionOnslow County435.4Pitt County: 417.1 USD millionPitt County417.1Gaston County: 394.5 USD millionGaston County394.5Iredell County: 393.4 USD millionIredell County393.4Catawba County: 378 USD millionCatawba County378Alamance County: 365.7 USD millionAlamance County365.7Orange County: 349.4 USD millionOrange County349.4Johnston County: 313.9 USD millionJohnston County313.9Moore County: 309.4 USD millionMoore County309.4Union County: 302 USD millionUnion County302Brunswick County: 259.6 USD millionBrunswick County259.6Cherokee County: 230.4 USD millionCherokee County230.4Henderson County: 229.5 USD millionHenderson County229.5Rowan County: 218.8 USD millionRowan County218.8Carteret County: 211.9 USD millionCarteret County211.9Wayne County: 202.4 USD millionWayne County202.4Craven County: 199.8 USD millionCraven County199.8Nash County: 194.3 USD millionNash County194.3Randolph County: 193.9 USD millionRandolph County193.9Davidson County: 192.5 USD millionDavidson County192.5Robeson County: 190.5 USD millionRobeson County190.5Watauga County: 190.4 USD millionWatauga County190.4Cleveland County: 147.3 USD millionCleveland County147.3Harnett County: 146 USD millionHarnett County146Burke County: 138.6 USD millionBurke County138.6Haywood County: 129.6 USD millionHaywood County129.6Surry County: 127.8 USD millionSurry County127.8Macon County: 122.5 USD millionMacon County122.5Lincoln County: 110.9 USD millionLincoln County110.9Rockingham County: 109.4 USD millionRockingham County109.4Mecklenburg County: 4,016.2 USD millionMecklenburg County4,016.2Wake County: 3,206.7 USD millionWake County3,206.7Guilford County: 1,433.5 USD millionGuilford County1,433.5Buncombe County: 1,177.3 USD millionBuncombe County1,177.3Durham County: 1,061.2 USD millionDurham County1,061.2Forsyth County: 934.5 USD millionForsyth County934.5New Hanover County: 856.2 USD millionNew Hanover County856.2Cumberland County: 760.9 USD millionCumberland County760.9Jackson County: 715.1 USD millionJackson County715.1Cabarrus County: 569.6 USD millionCabarrus County569.6Onslow County: 435.4 USD millionOnslow County435.4Pitt County: 417.1 USD millionPitt County417.1Gaston County: 394.5 USD millionGaston County394.5Iredell County: 393.4 USD millionIredell County393.4Catawba County: 378 USD millionCatawba County378Alamance County: 365.7 USD millionAlamance County365.7Orange County: 349.4 USD millionOrange County349.4Johnston County: 313.9 USD millionJohnston County313.9Moore County: 309.4 USD millionMoore County309.4Union County: 302 USD millionUnion County302Brunswick County: 259.6 USD millionBrunswick County259.6Cherokee County: 230.4 USD millionCherokee County230.4Henderson County: 229.5 USD millionHenderson County229.5Rowan County: 218.8 USD millionRowan County218.8Carteret County: 211.9 USD millionCarteret County211.9Wayne County: 202.4 USD millionWayne County202.4Craven County: 199.8 USD millionCraven County199.8Nash County: 194.3 USD millionNash County194.3Randolph County: 193.9 USD millionRandolph County193.9Davidson County: 192.5 USD millionDavidson County192.5Robeson County: 190.5 USD millionRobeson County190.5Watauga County: 190.4 USD millionWatauga County190.4Cleveland County: 147.3 USD millionCleveland County147.3Harnett County: 146 USD millionHarnett County146Burke County: 138.6 USD millionBurke County138.6Haywood County: 129.6 USD millionHaywood County129.6Surry County: 127.8 USD millionSurry County127.8Macon County: 122.5 USD millionMacon County122.5Lincoln County: 110.9 USD millionLincoln County110.9Rockingham County: 109.4 USD millionRockingham County109.4
USD million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
USD million
1Mecklenburg County4,016.2
2Wake County3,206.7
3Guilford County1,433.5
4Buncombe County1,177.3
5Durham County1,061.2
6Forsyth County934.5
7New Hanover County856.2
8Cumberland County760.9
9Jackson County715.1
10Cabarrus County569.6
11Onslow County435.4
12Pitt County417.1
13Gaston County394.5
14Iredell County393.4
15Catawba County378
16Alamance County365.7
17Orange County349.4
18Johnston County313.9
19Moore County309.4
20Union County302
21Brunswick County259.6
22Cherokee County230.4
23Henderson County229.5
24Rowan County218.8
25Carteret County211.9
26Wayne County202.4
27Craven County199.8
28Nash County194.3
29Randolph County193.9
30Davidson County192.5
31Robeson County190.5
32Watauga County190.4
33Cleveland County147.3
34Harnett County146
35Burke County138.6
36Haywood County129.6
37Surry County127.8
38Macon County122.5
39Lincoln County110.9
40Rockingham County109.4
41Lee County102.5
42Caldwell County97.7
43Lenoir County94.2
44Transylvania County91.1
45Pasquotank County89.2
46Wilkes County88.5
47Stanly County88
48Rutherford County87.5
49Chatham County86.3
50Pender County78.6
51Vance County68.6
52Beaufort County65.8
53Swain County64.9
54Columbus County61.9
55Sampson County61.3
56McDowell County58.1
57Davie County56.8
58Scotland County55.4
59Granville County54.3
60Duplin County54
61Currituck County53.1
62Person County49.7
63Richmond County49.5
64Avery County46.8
65Edgecombe County45.8
66Stokes County41.1
67Yadkin County41.1
68Franklin County40.3
69Pamlico County32.8
70Bladen County31.9
71Hertford County30.6
72Alexander County25.6
73Hoke County24.2
74Mitchell County23.6
75Madison County21.7
76Anson County20.6
77Chowan County20.4
78Hyde County17.6
79Alleghany County15.8
80Washington County15.4
81Yancey County13.6
82Perquimans County13.4
83Greene County11.2
84Camden County4.2
85Jones County3

Other periods

About this ranking

Sales, value of shipments or revenue of employer establishments in accommodation and food services (hotels, restaurants and bars) (NAICS 72), in millions of current US dollars, from the U.S. Census Bureau Economic Census.

Economic Census, taken every five years: values exist for 2017 and 2022 only, and the 2027 census publishes about 2029. Revenue of employer establishments located in the place, in millions of current US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; nonemployers (nonemployer_receipts_usd_*) are not included, and government owned establishments are generally out of scope. Manufacturing is the value of shipments and wholesale and retail trade are sales, so an establishment selling to another counts in both and sectors do not add up to output or GDP. Cells that would disclose individual companies (flag D) or that Census does not publish are missing here, not zero; counties are published for 14 of the 18 sectors. Sectors follow NAICS 2017 for 2017 and NAICS 2022 for 2022.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. 9 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2017 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip. 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. Census Bureau. (2021). Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments (Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip

MLA 9

Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments, Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 May 2021, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-revenue-accommodation-food-services/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2021. Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-revenue-accommodation-food-services/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2021) Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments, Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-revenue-accommodation-food-services/north-carolina-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments: Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census), 2017}},
  year = {2021},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-revenue-accommodation-food-services/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments: Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census), 2017
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/05/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-revenue-accommodation-food-services/north-carolina-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-revenue-accommodation-food-services/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2017/sector00/EC1700BASIC.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in North Carolina by business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"business_revenue_usd_accommodation_food_services","level":"province","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=business_revenue_usd_accommodation_food_services&level=province&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census)?

Mecklenburg County, with $4.02 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census)?

Jones County, with $3.05 million in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census basic statistics by geography (EC1700BASIC, EC2200BASIC): sales, value of shipments, or revenue (RCPTOT) of accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all establishments. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 9 counties have no value for 2017 and are not ranked.

Business revenue: accommodation and food services (Economic Census): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings