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 2018, at 695,619 jobs. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 1,120 jobs. The median was 15,874 jobs and the figure for North Carolina was 4,410,791 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest695,619Mecklenburg County
Lowest1,120Tyrrell County
Median15,874100 counties
North Carolina4,410,791History

Map of counties, 2018

Alamance County: 61,150 jobsAlexander County: 9,144 jobsAlleghany County: 3,175 jobsAnson County: 7,079 jobsAshe County: 7,191 jobsAvery County: 6,856 jobsBeaufort County: 15,682 jobsBertie County: 5,726 jobsBladen County: 13,117 jobsBrunswick County: 32,400 jobsBuncombe County: 132,579 jobsBurke County: 29,165 jobsCabarrus County: 77,218 jobsCaldwell County: 25,218 jobsCamden County: 1,208 jobsCarteret County: 23,456 jobsCaswell County: 3,016 jobsCatawba County: 88,303 jobsChatham County: 14,889 jobsCherokee County: 8,090 jobsChowan County: 4,637 jobsClay County: 2,046 jobsCleveland County: 35,146 jobsColumbus County: 15,058 jobsCraven County: 39,093 jobsCumberland County: 119,653 jobsCurrituck County: 7,136 jobsDare County: 19,303 jobsDavidson County: 43,830 jobsDavie County: 12,846 jobsDuplin County: 19,154 jobsDurham County: 205,004 jobsEdgecombe County: 16,065 jobsForsyth County: 186,592 jobsFranklin County: 12,306 jobsGaston County: 74,606 jobsGates County: 1,473 jobsGraham County: 2,080 jobsGranville County: 21,111 jobsGreene County: 4,214 jobsGuilford County: 281,564 jobsHalifax County: 15,478 jobsHarnett County: 25,312 jobsHaywood County: 17,652 jobsHenderson County: 38,800 jobsHertford County: 9,028 jobsHoke County: 8,430 jobsHyde County: 1,895 jobsIredell County: 73,854 jobsJackson County: 13,826 jobsJohnston County: 48,718 jobsJones County: 1,693 jobsLee County: 26,087 jobsLenoir County: 28,483 jobsLincoln County: 23,026 jobsMcDowell County: 16,285 jobsMacon County: 11,169 jobsMadison County: 3,824 jobsMartin County: 6,672 jobsMecklenburg County: 695,619 jobsMitchell County: 4,646 jobsMontgomery County: 9,231 jobsMoore County: 36,097 jobsNash County: 40,326 jobsNew Hanover County: 114,472 jobsNorthampton County: 5,311 jobsOnslow County: 48,464 jobsOrange County: 72,882 jobsPamlico County: 3,329 jobsPasquotank County: 15,583 jobsPender County: 12,007 jobsPerquimans County: 2,122 jobsPerson County: 9,780 jobsPitt County: 77,092 jobsPolk County: 4,956 jobsRandolph County: 44,876 jobsRichmond County: 13,418 jobsRobeson County: 38,585 jobsRockingham County: 25,107 jobsRowan County: 48,466 jobsRutherford County: 18,334 jobsSampson County: 18,452 jobsScotland County: 11,811 jobsStanly County: 19,219 jobsStokes County: 7,496 jobsSurry County: 29,233 jobsSwain County: 10,086 jobsTransylvania County: 9,043 jobsTyrrell County: 1,120 jobsUnion County: 64,041 jobsVance County: 14,485 jobsWake County: 560,465 jobsWarren County: 3,055 jobsWashington County: 3,290 jobsWatauga County: 23,614 jobsWayne County: 41,979 jobsWilkes County: 21,926 jobsWilson County: 36,336 jobsYadkin County: 9,900 jobsYancey County: 4,416 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 16K
  • 16K to 26K
  • 26K to 49K
  • 49K and over
jobs, 2018. 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, 2018

Mecklenburg County: 695,619 jobsMecklenburg County695,619Wake County: 560,465 jobsWake County560,465Guilford County: 281,564 jobsGuilford County281,564Durham County: 205,004 jobsDurham County205,004Forsyth County: 186,592 jobsForsyth County186,592Buncombe County: 132,579 jobsBuncombe County132,579Cumberland County: 119,653 jobsCumberland County119,653New Hanover County: 114,472 jobsNew Hanover County114,472Catawba County: 88,303 jobsCatawba County88,303Cabarrus County: 77,218 jobsCabarrus County77,218Pitt County: 77,092 jobsPitt County77,092Gaston County: 74,606 jobsGaston County74,606Iredell County: 73,854 jobsIredell County73,854Orange County: 72,882 jobsOrange County72,882Union County: 64,041 jobsUnion County64,041Alamance County: 61,150 jobsAlamance County61,150Johnston County: 48,718 jobsJohnston County48,718Rowan County: 48,466 jobsRowan County48,466Onslow County: 48,464 jobsOnslow County48,464Randolph County: 44,876 jobsRandolph County44,876Davidson County: 43,830 jobsDavidson County43,830Wayne County: 41,979 jobsWayne County41,979Nash County: 40,326 jobsNash County40,326Craven County: 39,093 jobsCraven County39,093Henderson County: 38,800 jobsHenderson County38,800Robeson County: 38,585 jobsRobeson County38,585Wilson County: 36,336 jobsWilson County36,336Moore County: 36,097 jobsMoore County36,097Cleveland County: 35,146 jobsCleveland County35,146Brunswick County: 32,400 jobsBrunswick County32,400Surry County: 29,233 jobsSurry County29,233Burke County: 29,165 jobsBurke County29,165Lenoir County: 28,483 jobsLenoir County28,483Lee County: 26,087 jobsLee County26,087Harnett County: 25,312 jobsHarnett County25,312Caldwell County: 25,218 jobsCaldwell County25,218Rockingham County: 25,107 jobsRockingham County25,107Watauga County: 23,614 jobsWatauga County23,614Carteret County: 23,456 jobsCarteret County23,456Lincoln County: 23,026 jobsLincoln County23,026Mecklenburg County: 695,619 jobsMecklenburg County695,619Wake County: 560,465 jobsWake County560,465Guilford County: 281,564 jobsGuilford County281,564Durham County: 205,004 jobsDurham County205,004Forsyth County: 186,592 jobsForsyth County186,592Buncombe County: 132,579 jobsBuncombe County132,579Cumberland County: 119,653 jobsCumberland County119,653New Hanover County: 114,472 jobsNew Hanover County114,472Catawba County: 88,303 jobsCatawba County88,303Cabarrus County: 77,218 jobsCabarrus County77,218Pitt County: 77,092 jobsPitt County77,092Gaston County: 74,606 jobsGaston County74,606Iredell County: 73,854 jobsIredell County73,854Orange County: 72,882 jobsOrange County72,882Union County: 64,041 jobsUnion County64,041Alamance County: 61,150 jobsAlamance County61,150Johnston County: 48,718 jobsJohnston County48,718Rowan County: 48,466 jobsRowan County48,466Onslow County: 48,464 jobsOnslow County48,464Randolph County: 44,876 jobsRandolph County44,876Davidson County: 43,830 jobsDavidson County43,830Wayne County: 41,979 jobsWayne County41,979Nash County: 40,326 jobsNash County40,326Craven County: 39,093 jobsCraven County39,093Henderson County: 38,800 jobsHenderson County38,800Robeson County: 38,585 jobsRobeson County38,585Wilson County: 36,336 jobsWilson County36,336Moore County: 36,097 jobsMoore County36,097Cleveland County: 35,146 jobsCleveland County35,146Brunswick County: 32,400 jobsBrunswick County32,400Surry County: 29,233 jobsSurry County29,233Burke County: 29,165 jobsBurke County29,165Lenoir County: 28,483 jobsLenoir County28,483Lee County: 26,087 jobsLee County26,087Harnett County: 25,312 jobsHarnett County25,312Caldwell County: 25,218 jobsCaldwell County25,218Rockingham County: 25,107 jobsRockingham County25,107Watauga County: 23,614 jobsWatauga County23,614Carteret County: 23,456 jobsCarteret County23,456Lincoln County: 23,026 jobsLincoln County23,026
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

RankCounties2018
jobs		Change on 2017
1Mecklenburg County695,619+2.3%
2Wake County560,465+3%
3Guilford County281,564+0.7%
4Durham County205,004+2.8%
5Forsyth County186,592+1.6%
6Buncombe County132,579+2.2%
7Cumberland County119,653+0.7%
8New Hanover County114,472+2.9%
9Catawba County88,303+1%
10Cabarrus County77,218+1.2%
11Pitt County77,092+1.6%
12Gaston County74,606+3.5%
13Iredell County73,854+2.9%
14Orange County72,882+3.1%
15Union County64,041+1.4%
16Alamance County61,150+1.5%
17Johnston County48,718+3.1%
18Rowan County48,466+1.4%
19Onslow County48,464-0.2%
20Randolph County44,876+0.2%
21Davidson County43,830+1.1%
22Wayne County41,979-0.5%
23Nash County40,326+1.3%
24Craven County39,093-0.5%
25Henderson County38,800+3.5%
26Robeson County38,585-0.2%
27Wilson County36,336-0.7%
28Moore County36,097+4%
29Cleveland County35,146+1.2%
30Brunswick County32,400+1.4%
31Surry County29,233+2.4%
32Burke County29,165-1.3%
33Lenoir County28,483+0.4%
34Lee County26,087+0.5%
35Harnett County25,3120%
36Caldwell County25,218+1.5%
37Rockingham County25,107-1.9%
38Watauga County23,614+1.7%
39Carteret County23,456-0.2%
40Lincoln County23,026+2.6%
41Wilkes County21,926-2%
42Granville County21,111-1.5%
43Dare County19,303+0.2%
44Stanly County19,219-0%
45Duplin County19,154-1%
46Sampson County18,452+0.8%
47Rutherford County18,334+2.1%
48Haywood County17,652+3%
49McDowell County16,285+1.4%
50Edgecombe County16,065-2.7%
51Beaufort County15,682-1.4%
52Pasquotank County15,583-1.7%
53Halifax County15,478-0.9%
54Columbus County15,058-0.2%
55Chatham County14,889+1.2%
56Vance County14,485-2.5%
57Jackson County13,826+3.4%
58Richmond County13,418-0.5%
59Bladen County13,117+1.3%
60Davie County12,846+1%
61Franklin County12,306+3.6%
62Pender County12,007+3.2%
63Scotland County11,811+0.8%
64Macon County11,169+1.5%
65Swain County10,086+2%
66Yadkin County9,900+0.4%
67Person County9,780-0.9%
68Montgomery County9,231-1.6%
69Alexander County9,144+0.2%
70Transylvania County9,043+0.8%
71Hertford County9,028+0.6%
72Hoke County8,430+0.6%
73Cherokee County8,090+1.2%
74Stokes County7,496+1.8%
75Ashe County7,191+0.4%
76Currituck County7,136+6.1%
77Anson County7,079-0%
78Avery County6,856-0.2%
79Martin County6,672-3.7%
80Bertie County5,726-2.7%
81Northampton County5,3110%
82Polk County4,956-1.2%
83Mitchell County4,646-0.6%
84Chowan County4,637+1%
85Yancey County4,416+19.5%
86Greene County4,214+1.2%
87Madison County3,824+2.7%
88Pamlico County3,329-0.2%
89Washington County3,290-3.3%
90Alleghany County3,175-0.9%
91Warren County3,055-4.1%
92Caswell County3,016+1.3%
93Perquimans County2,122+3.4%
94Graham County2,080+3.6%
95Clay County2,046+5.9%
96Hyde County1,895-3.9%
97Jones County1,693+4.1%
98Gates County1,473-0.5%
99Camden County1,208-8%
100Tyrrell County1,120-5.7%

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/2018/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), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2018. 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), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.

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), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2018,
  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), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/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 695,619 jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Tyrrell County, with 1,120 jobs in 2018.

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