Data / Rankings / Covered employment (QCEW) / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW)

Mecklenburg County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 100 counties in 2017, at 680,310 jobs. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 1,188 jobs. The median was 15,984 jobs and the figure for North Carolina was 4,330,606 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest680,310Mecklenburg County
Lowest1,188Tyrrell County
Median15,984100 counties
North Carolina4,330,606History

Map of counties, 2017

Alamance County: 60,226 jobsAlexander County: 9,129 jobsAlleghany County: 3,205 jobsAnson County: 7,081 jobsAshe County: 7,165 jobsAvery County: 6,872 jobsBeaufort County: 15,909 jobsBertie County: 5,886 jobsBladen County: 12,948 jobsBrunswick County: 31,962 jobsBuncombe County: 129,771 jobsBurke County: 29,545 jobsCabarrus County: 76,290 jobsCaldwell County: 24,838 jobsCamden County: 1,313 jobsCarteret County: 23,510 jobsCaswell County: 2,977 jobsCatawba County: 87,440 jobsChatham County: 14,717 jobsCherokee County: 7,993 jobsChowan County: 4,589 jobsClay County: 1,932 jobsCleveland County: 34,723 jobsColumbus County: 15,089 jobsCraven County: 39,303 jobsCumberland County: 118,780 jobsCurrituck County: 6,728 jobsDare County: 19,266 jobsDavidson County: 43,370 jobsDavie County: 12,722 jobsDuplin County: 19,345 jobsDurham County: 199,398 jobsEdgecombe County: 16,509 jobsForsyth County: 183,617 jobsFranklin County: 11,875 jobsGaston County: 72,067 jobsGates County: 1,480 jobsGraham County: 2,008 jobsGranville County: 21,439 jobsGreene County: 4,162 jobsGuilford County: 279,556 jobsHalifax County: 15,618 jobsHarnett County: 25,312 jobsHaywood County: 17,138 jobsHenderson County: 37,504 jobsHertford County: 8,976 jobsHoke County: 8,380 jobsHyde County: 1,971 jobsIredell County: 71,761 jobsJackson County: 13,370 jobsJohnston County: 47,247 jobsJones County: 1,627 jobsLee County: 25,967 jobsLenoir County: 28,371 jobsLincoln County: 22,438 jobsMcDowell County: 16,058 jobsMacon County: 11,004 jobsMadison County: 3,723 jobsMartin County: 6,930 jobsMecklenburg County: 680,310 jobsMitchell County: 4,673 jobsMontgomery County: 9,381 jobsMoore County: 34,698 jobsNash County: 39,811 jobsNew Hanover County: 111,237 jobsNorthampton County: 5,310 jobsOnslow County: 48,569 jobsOrange County: 70,693 jobsPamlico County: 3,337 jobsPasquotank County: 15,856 jobsPender County: 11,635 jobsPerquimans County: 2,052 jobsPerson County: 9,864 jobsPitt County: 75,841 jobsPolk County: 5,017 jobsRandolph County: 44,777 jobsRichmond County: 13,487 jobsRobeson County: 38,656 jobsRockingham County: 25,590 jobsRowan County: 47,819 jobsRutherford County: 17,965 jobsSampson County: 18,313 jobsScotland County: 11,721 jobsStanly County: 19,228 jobsStokes County: 7,365 jobsSurry County: 28,536 jobsSwain County: 9,891 jobsTransylvania County: 8,974 jobsTyrrell County: 1,188 jobsUnion County: 63,179 jobsVance County: 14,857 jobsWake County: 544,214 jobsWarren County: 3,185 jobsWashington County: 3,403 jobsWatauga County: 23,208 jobsWayne County: 42,176 jobsWilkes County: 22,371 jobsWilson County: 36,608 jobsYadkin County: 9,862 jobsYancey County: 3,695 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 16K
  • 16K to 26K
  • 26K to 48K
  • 48K and over
jobs, 2017. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Mecklenburg County: 680,310 jobsMecklenburg County680,310Wake County: 544,214 jobsWake County544,214Guilford County: 279,556 jobsGuilford County279,556Durham County: 199,398 jobsDurham County199,398Forsyth County: 183,617 jobsForsyth County183,617Buncombe County: 129,771 jobsBuncombe County129,771Cumberland County: 118,780 jobsCumberland County118,780New Hanover County: 111,237 jobsNew Hanover County111,237Catawba County: 87,440 jobsCatawba County87,440Cabarrus County: 76,290 jobsCabarrus County76,290Pitt County: 75,841 jobsPitt County75,841Gaston County: 72,067 jobsGaston County72,067Iredell County: 71,761 jobsIredell County71,761Orange County: 70,693 jobsOrange County70,693Union County: 63,179 jobsUnion County63,179Alamance County: 60,226 jobsAlamance County60,226Onslow County: 48,569 jobsOnslow County48,569Rowan County: 47,819 jobsRowan County47,819Johnston County: 47,247 jobsJohnston County47,247Randolph County: 44,777 jobsRandolph County44,777Davidson County: 43,370 jobsDavidson County43,370Wayne County: 42,176 jobsWayne County42,176Nash County: 39,811 jobsNash County39,811Craven County: 39,303 jobsCraven County39,303Robeson County: 38,656 jobsRobeson County38,656Henderson County: 37,504 jobsHenderson County37,504Wilson County: 36,608 jobsWilson County36,608Cleveland County: 34,723 jobsCleveland County34,723Moore County: 34,698 jobsMoore County34,698Brunswick County: 31,962 jobsBrunswick County31,962Burke County: 29,545 jobsBurke County29,545Surry County: 28,536 jobsSurry County28,536Lenoir County: 28,371 jobsLenoir County28,371Lee County: 25,967 jobsLee County25,967Rockingham County: 25,590 jobsRockingham County25,590Harnett County: 25,312 jobsHarnett County25,312Caldwell County: 24,838 jobsCaldwell County24,838Carteret County: 23,510 jobsCarteret County23,510Watauga County: 23,208 jobsWatauga County23,208Lincoln County: 22,438 jobsLincoln County22,438Mecklenburg County: 680,310 jobsMecklenburg County680,310Wake County: 544,214 jobsWake County544,214Guilford County: 279,556 jobsGuilford County279,556Durham County: 199,398 jobsDurham County199,398Forsyth County: 183,617 jobsForsyth County183,617Buncombe County: 129,771 jobsBuncombe County129,771Cumberland County: 118,780 jobsCumberland County118,780New Hanover County: 111,237 jobsNew Hanover County111,237Catawba County: 87,440 jobsCatawba County87,440Cabarrus County: 76,290 jobsCabarrus County76,290Pitt County: 75,841 jobsPitt County75,841Gaston County: 72,067 jobsGaston County72,067Iredell County: 71,761 jobsIredell County71,761Orange County: 70,693 jobsOrange County70,693Union County: 63,179 jobsUnion County63,179Alamance County: 60,226 jobsAlamance County60,226Onslow County: 48,569 jobsOnslow County48,569Rowan County: 47,819 jobsRowan County47,819Johnston County: 47,247 jobsJohnston County47,247Randolph County: 44,777 jobsRandolph County44,777Davidson County: 43,370 jobsDavidson County43,370Wayne County: 42,176 jobsWayne County42,176Nash County: 39,811 jobsNash County39,811Craven County: 39,303 jobsCraven County39,303Robeson County: 38,656 jobsRobeson County38,656Henderson County: 37,504 jobsHenderson County37,504Wilson County: 36,608 jobsWilson County36,608Cleveland County: 34,723 jobsCleveland County34,723Moore County: 34,698 jobsMoore County34,698Brunswick County: 31,962 jobsBrunswick County31,962Burke County: 29,545 jobsBurke County29,545Surry County: 28,536 jobsSurry County28,536Lenoir County: 28,371 jobsLenoir County28,371Lee County: 25,967 jobsLee County25,967Rockingham County: 25,590 jobsRockingham County25,590Harnett County: 25,312 jobsHarnett County25,312Caldwell County: 24,838 jobsCaldwell County24,838Carteret County: 23,510 jobsCarteret County23,510Watauga County: 23,208 jobsWatauga County23,208Lincoln County: 22,438 jobsLincoln County22,438
jobs. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
jobs		Change on 2016
1Mecklenburg County680,310+2.8%
2Wake County544,214+2.6%
3Guilford County279,556+0.5%
4Durham County199,398+1.9%
5Forsyth County183,617+0.7%
6Buncombe County129,771+1.9%
7Cumberland County118,780-0.2%
8New Hanover County111,237+1.7%
9Catawba County87,440+2.3%
10Cabarrus County76,290+4.9%
11Pitt County75,841+1.2%
12Gaston County72,067+2.8%
13Iredell County71,761+0.1%
14Orange County70,693+0.6%
15Union County63,179+2.9%
16Alamance County60,226+1%
17Onslow County48,569+1.4%
18Rowan County47,819+1.6%
19Johnston County47,247+1.9%
20Randolph County44,777-0.1%
21Davidson County43,370+0.6%
22Wayne County42,176+0.1%
23Nash County39,811-1.2%
24Craven County39,303-0.3%
25Robeson County38,656+0.2%
26Henderson County37,504+1.7%
27Wilson County36,608-1.5%
28Cleveland County34,723+1.4%
29Moore County34,698+0.8%
30Brunswick County31,962+3.5%
31Burke County29,545+0.5%
32Surry County28,536+0.2%
33Lenoir County28,371+2.3%
34Lee County25,967+1.3%
35Rockingham County25,590-3.5%
36Harnett County25,312+3.2%
37Caldwell County24,838+3%
38Carteret County23,510+1.8%
39Watauga County23,208+2.1%
40Lincoln County22,438+0.4%
41Wilkes County22,371+2.5%
42Granville County21,439+2.6%
43Duplin County19,345-4.2%
44Dare County19,266+0.7%
45Stanly County19,228+0.9%
46Sampson County18,313-0.5%
47Rutherford County17,965-1%
48Haywood County17,138+0.4%
49Edgecombe County16,509-2.1%
50McDowell County16,058-0.4%
51Beaufort County15,909-1.8%
52Pasquotank County15,856+0.5%
53Halifax County15,618-0.1%
54Columbus County15,089-2.6%
55Vance County14,857-1.2%
56Chatham County14,717+2.5%
57Richmond County13,487-0%
58Jackson County13,370+1.2%
59Bladen County12,948-0.1%
60Davie County12,722+3.3%
61Franklin County11,875+3.1%
62Scotland County11,721-0.1%
63Pender County11,635+2.3%
64Macon County11,004+0.2%
65Swain County9,891-4.3%
66Person County9,864-2.7%
67Yadkin County9,862-2.6%
68Montgomery County9,381+0.5%
69Alexander County9,129+2.7%
70Hertford County8,976-0.6%
71Transylvania County8,974+1.7%
72Hoke County8,380+1.7%
73Cherokee County7,993+0.4%
74Stokes County7,365+5%
75Ashe County7,165+1.8%
76Anson County7,081-2.9%
77Martin County6,930-2.4%
78Avery County6,872+1.6%
79Currituck County6,728+4.1%
80Bertie County5,886-5.2%
81Northampton County5,310-0.8%
82Polk County5,017-1.3%
83Mitchell County4,673-1.3%
84Chowan County4,589+1.1%
85Greene County4,162+0.6%
86Madison County3,723+0.1%
87Yancey County3,695-0.9%
88Washington County3,403-1.8%
89Pamlico County3,337-1.2%
90Alleghany County3,205-2.4%
91Warren County3,185-6.9%
92Caswell County2,977+0.3%
93Perquimans County2,052+0.1%
94Graham County2,008+4.1%
95Hyde County1,971+1.5%
96Clay County1,932-4%
97Jones County1,627+0.9%
98Gates County1,480+1.4%
99Camden County1,313-4%
100Tyrrell County1,188+4.3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, 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.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. 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. A count of employer reports, not a survey estimate like oews_employment.

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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2017. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Mecklenburg County, with 680,310 jobs in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Tyrrell County, with 1,188 jobs in 2017.

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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Covered employment (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings