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 2019, at 715,297 jobs. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 1,062 jobs. The median was 15,759 jobs and the figure for North Carolina was 4,498,572 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest715,297Mecklenburg County
Lowest1,062Tyrrell County
Median15,759100 counties
North Carolina4,498,572History

Map of counties, 2019

Alamance County: 62,633 jobsAlexander County: 9,353 jobsAlleghany County: 3,252 jobsAnson County: 7,361 jobsAshe County: 7,248 jobsAvery County: 6,706 jobsBeaufort County: 15,496 jobsBertie County: 5,676 jobsBladen County: 13,227 jobsBrunswick County: 33,082 jobsBuncombe County: 135,002 jobsBurke County: 29,772 jobsCabarrus County: 76,888 jobsCaldwell County: 25,251 jobsCamden County: 1,223 jobsCarteret County: 23,681 jobsCaswell County: 2,973 jobsCatawba County: 88,574 jobsChatham County: 15,399 jobsCherokee County: 8,017 jobsChowan County: 4,604 jobsClay County: 2,045 jobsCleveland County: 35,642 jobsColumbus County: 15,292 jobsCraven County: 39,711 jobsCumberland County: 120,496 jobsCurrituck County: 7,279 jobsDare County: 19,527 jobsDavidson County: 44,101 jobsDavie County: 12,846 jobsDuplin County: 18,891 jobsDurham County: 211,634 jobsEdgecombe County: 15,863 jobsForsyth County: 191,005 jobsFranklin County: 12,167 jobsGaston County: 74,887 jobsGates County: 1,519 jobsGraham County: 2,128 jobsGranville County: 20,952 jobsGreene County: 4,251 jobsGuilford County: 285,872 jobsHalifax County: 15,655 jobsHarnett County: 25,745 jobsHaywood County: 17,812 jobsHenderson County: 39,899 jobsHertford County: 9,090 jobsHoke County: 8,703 jobsHyde County: 1,818 jobsIredell County: 75,674 jobsJackson County: 14,100 jobsJohnston County: 50,751 jobsJones County: 1,613 jobsLee County: 25,580 jobsLenoir County: 28,630 jobsLincoln County: 24,295 jobsMcDowell County: 15,897 jobsMacon County: 11,373 jobsMadison County: 4,003 jobsMartin County: 6,417 jobsMecklenburg County: 715,297 jobsMitchell County: 4,690 jobsMontgomery County: 9,268 jobsMoore County: 36,973 jobsNash County: 40,575 jobsNew Hanover County: 117,834 jobsNorthampton County: 5,486 jobsOnslow County: 49,060 jobsOrange County: 73,386 jobsPamlico County: 3,349 jobsPasquotank County: 15,181 jobsPender County: 12,782 jobsPerquimans County: 2,126 jobsPerson County: 9,724 jobsPitt County: 77,591 jobsPolk County: 5,023 jobsRandolph County: 45,194 jobsRichmond County: 13,566 jobsRobeson County: 39,344 jobsRockingham County: 25,049 jobsRowan County: 48,767 jobsRutherford County: 18,741 jobsSampson County: 18,318 jobsScotland County: 11,983 jobsStanly County: 19,402 jobsStokes County: 7,626 jobsSurry County: 28,963 jobsSwain County: 10,239 jobsTransylvania County: 9,380 jobsTyrrell County: 1,062 jobsUnion County: 65,161 jobsVance County: 14,400 jobsWake County: 575,410 jobsWarren County: 3,065 jobsWashington County: 3,160 jobsWatauga County: 24,184 jobsWayne County: 41,641 jobsWilkes County: 21,187 jobsWilson County: 36,125 jobsYadkin County: 10,022 jobsYancey County: 4,532 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 16K
  • 16K to 26K
  • 26K to 50K
  • 50K and over
jobs, 2019. 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, 2019

Mecklenburg County: 715,297 jobsMecklenburg County715,297Wake County: 575,410 jobsWake County575,410Guilford County: 285,872 jobsGuilford County285,872Durham County: 211,634 jobsDurham County211,634Forsyth County: 191,005 jobsForsyth County191,005Buncombe County: 135,002 jobsBuncombe County135,002Cumberland County: 120,496 jobsCumberland County120,496New Hanover County: 117,834 jobsNew Hanover County117,834Catawba County: 88,574 jobsCatawba County88,574Pitt County: 77,591 jobsPitt County77,591Cabarrus County: 76,888 jobsCabarrus County76,888Iredell County: 75,674 jobsIredell County75,674Gaston County: 74,887 jobsGaston County74,887Orange County: 73,386 jobsOrange County73,386Union County: 65,161 jobsUnion County65,161Alamance County: 62,633 jobsAlamance County62,633Johnston County: 50,751 jobsJohnston County50,751Onslow County: 49,060 jobsOnslow County49,060Rowan County: 48,767 jobsRowan County48,767Randolph County: 45,194 jobsRandolph County45,194Davidson County: 44,101 jobsDavidson County44,101Wayne County: 41,641 jobsWayne County41,641Nash County: 40,575 jobsNash County40,575Henderson County: 39,899 jobsHenderson County39,899Craven County: 39,711 jobsCraven County39,711Robeson County: 39,344 jobsRobeson County39,344Moore County: 36,973 jobsMoore County36,973Wilson County: 36,125 jobsWilson County36,125Cleveland County: 35,642 jobsCleveland County35,642Brunswick County: 33,082 jobsBrunswick County33,082Burke County: 29,772 jobsBurke County29,772Surry County: 28,963 jobsSurry County28,963Lenoir County: 28,630 jobsLenoir County28,630Harnett County: 25,745 jobsHarnett County25,745Lee County: 25,580 jobsLee County25,580Caldwell County: 25,251 jobsCaldwell County25,251Rockingham County: 25,049 jobsRockingham County25,049Lincoln County: 24,295 jobsLincoln County24,295Watauga County: 24,184 jobsWatauga County24,184Carteret County: 23,681 jobsCarteret County23,681Mecklenburg County: 715,297 jobsMecklenburg County715,297Wake County: 575,410 jobsWake County575,410Guilford County: 285,872 jobsGuilford County285,872Durham County: 211,634 jobsDurham County211,634Forsyth County: 191,005 jobsForsyth County191,005Buncombe County: 135,002 jobsBuncombe County135,002Cumberland County: 120,496 jobsCumberland County120,496New Hanover County: 117,834 jobsNew Hanover County117,834Catawba County: 88,574 jobsCatawba County88,574Pitt County: 77,591 jobsPitt County77,591Cabarrus County: 76,888 jobsCabarrus County76,888Iredell County: 75,674 jobsIredell County75,674Gaston County: 74,887 jobsGaston County74,887Orange County: 73,386 jobsOrange County73,386Union County: 65,161 jobsUnion County65,161Alamance County: 62,633 jobsAlamance County62,633Johnston County: 50,751 jobsJohnston County50,751Onslow County: 49,060 jobsOnslow County49,060Rowan County: 48,767 jobsRowan County48,767Randolph County: 45,194 jobsRandolph County45,194Davidson County: 44,101 jobsDavidson County44,101Wayne County: 41,641 jobsWayne County41,641Nash County: 40,575 jobsNash County40,575Henderson County: 39,899 jobsHenderson County39,899Craven County: 39,711 jobsCraven County39,711Robeson County: 39,344 jobsRobeson County39,344Moore County: 36,973 jobsMoore County36,973Wilson County: 36,125 jobsWilson County36,125Cleveland County: 35,642 jobsCleveland County35,642Brunswick County: 33,082 jobsBrunswick County33,082Burke County: 29,772 jobsBurke County29,772Surry County: 28,963 jobsSurry County28,963Lenoir County: 28,630 jobsLenoir County28,630Harnett County: 25,745 jobsHarnett County25,745Lee County: 25,580 jobsLee County25,580Caldwell County: 25,251 jobsCaldwell County25,251Rockingham County: 25,049 jobsRockingham County25,049Lincoln County: 24,295 jobsLincoln County24,295Watauga County: 24,184 jobsWatauga County24,184Carteret County: 23,681 jobsCarteret County23,681
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

RankCounties2019
jobs		Change on 2018
1Mecklenburg County715,297+2.8%
2Wake County575,410+2.7%
3Guilford County285,872+1.5%
4Durham County211,634+3.2%
5Forsyth County191,005+2.4%
6Buncombe County135,002+1.8%
7Cumberland County120,496+0.7%
8New Hanover County117,834+2.9%
9Catawba County88,574+0.3%
10Pitt County77,591+0.6%
11Cabarrus County76,888-0.4%
12Iredell County75,674+2.5%
13Gaston County74,887+0.4%
14Orange County73,386+0.7%
15Union County65,161+1.7%
16Alamance County62,633+2.4%
17Johnston County50,751+4.2%
18Onslow County49,060+1.2%
19Rowan County48,767+0.6%
20Randolph County45,194+0.7%
21Davidson County44,101+0.6%
22Wayne County41,641-0.8%
23Nash County40,575+0.6%
24Henderson County39,899+2.8%
25Craven County39,711+1.6%
26Robeson County39,344+2%
27Moore County36,973+2.4%
28Wilson County36,125-0.6%
29Cleveland County35,642+1.4%
30Brunswick County33,082+2.1%
31Burke County29,772+2.1%
32Surry County28,963-0.9%
33Lenoir County28,630+0.5%
34Harnett County25,745+1.7%
35Lee County25,580-1.9%
36Caldwell County25,251+0.1%
37Rockingham County25,049-0.2%
38Lincoln County24,295+5.5%
39Watauga County24,184+2.4%
40Carteret County23,681+1%
41Wilkes County21,187-3.4%
42Granville County20,952-0.8%
43Dare County19,527+1.2%
44Stanly County19,402+1%
45Duplin County18,891-1.4%
46Rutherford County18,741+2.2%
47Sampson County18,318-0.7%
48Haywood County17,812+0.9%
49McDowell County15,897-2.4%
50Edgecombe County15,863-1.3%
51Halifax County15,655+1.1%
52Beaufort County15,496-1.2%
53Chatham County15,399+3.4%
54Columbus County15,292+1.6%
55Pasquotank County15,181-2.6%
56Vance County14,400-0.6%
57Jackson County14,100+2%
58Richmond County13,566+1.1%
59Bladen County13,227+0.8%
60Davie County12,8460%
61Pender County12,782+6.5%
62Franklin County12,167-1.1%
63Scotland County11,983+1.5%
64Macon County11,373+1.8%
65Swain County10,239+1.5%
66Yadkin County10,022+1.2%
67Person County9,724-0.6%
68Transylvania County9,380+3.7%
69Alexander County9,353+2.3%
70Montgomery County9,268+0.4%
71Hertford County9,090+0.7%
72Hoke County8,703+3.2%
73Cherokee County8,017-0.9%
74Stokes County7,626+1.7%
75Anson County7,361+4%
76Currituck County7,279+2%
77Ashe County7,248+0.8%
78Avery County6,706-2.2%
79Martin County6,417-3.8%
80Bertie County5,676-0.9%
81Northampton County5,486+3.3%
82Polk County5,023+1.4%
83Mitchell County4,690+0.9%
84Chowan County4,604-0.7%
85Yancey County4,532+2.6%
86Greene County4,251+0.9%
87Madison County4,003+4.7%
88Pamlico County3,349+0.6%
89Alleghany County3,252+2.4%
90Washington County3,160-4%
91Warren County3,065+0.3%
92Caswell County2,973-1.4%
93Graham County2,128+2.3%
94Perquimans County2,126+0.2%
95Clay County2,045-0%
96Hyde County1,818-4.1%
97Jones County1,613-4.7%
98Gates County1,519+3.1%
99Camden County1,223+1.2%
100Tyrrell County1,062-5.2%

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/2019/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), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2019. 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), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2019.

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), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-carolina-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/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 715,297 jobs in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Tyrrell County, with 1,062 jobs in 2019.

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