Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023

Caswell County had the highest job creation rate of 100 counties in 2023, at 22.336%. Hertford County had the lowest, at 5.843%. The median was 12.52% and the figure for North Carolina was 13.59%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22.336Caswell County
Lowest5.843Hertford County
Median12.52100 counties
North Carolina13.59History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 15.36 %Alexander County: 8.137 %Alleghany County: 9.561 %Anson County: 7.02 %Ashe County: 11.145 %Avery County: 10.785 %Beaufort County: 12.404 %Bertie County: 18.443 %Bladen County: 14.775 %Brunswick County: 16.449 %Buncombe County: 14.009 %Burke County: 11.748 %Cabarrus County: 13.013 %Caldwell County: 13.107 %Camden County: 12.444 %Carteret County: 12.447 %Caswell County: 22.336 %Catawba County: 13.887 %Chatham County: 12.159 %Cherokee County: 10.891 %Chowan County: 11.575 %Clay County: 14.823 %Cleveland County: 11.972 %Columbus County: 13.449 %Craven County: 12.022 %Cumberland County: 13.1 %Currituck County: 15.818 %Dare County: 13.692 %Davidson County: 12.294 %Davie County: 11.638 %Duplin County: 14.819 %Durham County: 12.267 %Edgecombe County: 7.717 %Forsyth County: 11.95 %Franklin County: 15.086 %Gaston County: 14.158 %Gates County: 12.556 %Graham County: 20.918 %Granville County: 12.694 %Greene County: 16.496 %Guilford County: 11.386 %Halifax County: 12.993 %Harnett County: 14.125 %Haywood County: 15.008 %Henderson County: 13.635 %Hertford County: 5.843 %Hoke County: 9.543 %Hyde County: 10.353 %Iredell County: 16.332 %Jackson County: 13.691 %Johnston County: 15.251 %Jones County: 16.35 %Lee County: 11.265 %Lenoir County: 10.925 %Lincoln County: 13.315 %McDowell County: 9.2 %Macon County: 13.59 %Madison County: 12.483 %Martin County: 10.533 %Mecklenburg County: 15.162 %Mitchell County: 13.642 %Montgomery County: 12.105 %Moore County: 14.253 %Nash County: 14.089 %New Hanover County: 14.505 %Northampton County: 9.754 %Onslow County: 13.799 %Orange County: 11.219 %Pamlico County: 11.206 %Pasquotank County: 10.858 %Pender County: 17.568 %Perquimans County: 15.427 %Person County: 11.701 %Pitt County: 14.257 %Polk County: 12.451 %Randolph County: 9.608 %Richmond County: 11.839 %Robeson County: 8.795 %Rockingham County: 11.078 %Rowan County: 10.9 %Rutherford County: 13.396 %Sampson County: 13.362 %Scotland County: 11.031 %Stanly County: 13.01 %Stokes County: 10.302 %Surry County: 7.666 %Swain County: 11.228 %Transylvania County: 14.379 %Tyrrell County: 6.582 %Union County: 14.881 %Vance County: 10.333 %Wake County: 15.447 %Warren County: 18.528 %Washington County: 10.316 %Watauga County: 12.47 %Wayne County: 11.159 %Wilkes County: 13.464 %Wilson County: 10.776 %Yadkin County: 13.124 %Yancey County: 19.541 %
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%, 2023. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Caswell County: 22.336 %Caswell County22.336Graham County: 20.918 %Graham County20.918Yancey County: 19.541 %Yancey County19.541Warren County: 18.528 %Warren County18.528Bertie County: 18.443 %Bertie County18.443Pender County: 17.568 %Pender County17.568Greene County: 16.496 %Greene County16.496Brunswick County: 16.449 %Brunswick County16.449Jones County: 16.35 %Jones County16.35Iredell County: 16.332 %Iredell County16.332Currituck County: 15.818 %Currituck County15.818Wake County: 15.447 %Wake County15.447Perquimans County: 15.427 %Perquimans County15.427Alamance County: 15.36 %Alamance County15.36Johnston County: 15.251 %Johnston County15.251Mecklenburg County: 15.162 %Mecklenburg County15.162Franklin County: 15.086 %Franklin County15.086Haywood County: 15.008 %Haywood County15.008Union County: 14.881 %Union County14.881Clay County: 14.823 %Clay County14.823Duplin County: 14.819 %Duplin County14.819Bladen County: 14.775 %Bladen County14.775New Hanover County: 14.505 %New Hanover County14.505Transylvania County: 14.379 %Transylvania County14.379Pitt County: 14.257 %Pitt County14.257Moore County: 14.253 %Moore County14.253Gaston County: 14.158 %Gaston County14.158Harnett County: 14.125 %Harnett County14.125Nash County: 14.089 %Nash County14.089Buncombe County: 14.009 %Buncombe County14.009Catawba County: 13.887 %Catawba County13.887Onslow County: 13.799 %Onslow County13.799Dare County: 13.692 %Dare County13.692Jackson County: 13.691 %Jackson County13.691Mitchell County: 13.642 %Mitchell County13.642Henderson County: 13.635 %Henderson County13.635Macon County: 13.59 %Macon County13.59Wilkes County: 13.464 %Wilkes County13.464Columbus County: 13.449 %Columbus County13.449Rutherford County: 13.396 %Rutherford County13.396Caswell County: 22.336 %Caswell County22.336Graham County: 20.918 %Graham County20.918Yancey County: 19.541 %Yancey County19.541Warren County: 18.528 %Warren County18.528Bertie County: 18.443 %Bertie County18.443Pender County: 17.568 %Pender County17.568Greene County: 16.496 %Greene County16.496Brunswick County: 16.449 %Brunswick County16.449Jones County: 16.35 %Jones County16.35Iredell County: 16.332 %Iredell County16.332Currituck County: 15.818 %Currituck County15.818Wake County: 15.447 %Wake County15.447Perquimans County: 15.427 %Perquimans County15.427Alamance County: 15.36 %Alamance County15.36Johnston County: 15.251 %Johnston County15.251Mecklenburg County: 15.162 %Mecklenburg County15.162Franklin County: 15.086 %Franklin County15.086Haywood County: 15.008 %Haywood County15.008Union County: 14.881 %Union County14.881Clay County: 14.823 %Clay County14.823Duplin County: 14.819 %Duplin County14.819Bladen County: 14.775 %Bladen County14.775New Hanover County: 14.505 %New Hanover County14.505Transylvania County: 14.379 %Transylvania County14.379Pitt County: 14.257 %Pitt County14.257Moore County: 14.253 %Moore County14.253Gaston County: 14.158 %Gaston County14.158Harnett County: 14.125 %Harnett County14.125Nash County: 14.089 %Nash County14.089Buncombe County: 14.009 %Buncombe County14.009Catawba County: 13.887 %Catawba County13.887Onslow County: 13.799 %Onslow County13.799Dare County: 13.692 %Dare County13.692Jackson County: 13.691 %Jackson County13.691Mitchell County: 13.642 %Mitchell County13.642Henderson County: 13.635 %Henderson County13.635Macon County: 13.59 %Macon County13.59Wilkes County: 13.464 %Wilkes County13.464Columbus County: 13.449 %Columbus County13.449Rutherford County: 13.396 %Rutherford County13.396
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Caswell County22.336+3.75 pts
2Graham County20.918+7.1 pts
3Yancey County19.541+7.84 pts
4Warren County18.528+4.49 pts
5Bertie County18.443+11.07 pts
6Pender County17.568+0.48 pts
7Greene County16.496+0.23 pts
8Brunswick County16.449+0.55 pts
9Jones County16.35+5.8 pts
10Iredell County16.332+2.27 pts
11Currituck County15.818+1.89 pts
12Wake County15.447-2.13 pts
13Perquimans County15.427+0.4 pts
14Alamance County15.36+3.69 pts
15Johnston County15.251-0.32 pts
16Mecklenburg County15.162-2.92 pts
17Franklin County15.086-0 pts
18Haywood County15.008+1.47 pts
19Union County14.881-0.25 pts
20Clay County14.823-0.96 pts
21Duplin County14.819+6.28 pts
22Bladen County14.775+8.44 pts
23New Hanover County14.505-2.62 pts
24Transylvania County14.379+0.05 pts
25Pitt County14.257-0.9 pts
26Moore County14.253-1.14 pts
27Gaston County14.158+1.8 pts
28Harnett County14.125-0.78 pts
29Nash County14.089+0.48 pts
30Buncombe County14.009-1.46 pts
31Catawba County13.887-0.54 pts
32Onslow County13.799+0.73 pts
33Dare County13.692-4.55 pts
34Jackson County13.691-1.1 pts
35Mitchell County13.642+3.99 pts
36Henderson County13.635-2.38 pts
37Macon County13.59-2.45 pts
38Wilkes County13.464-4.34 pts
39Columbus County13.449-2.72 pts
40Rutherford County13.396-10.32 pts
41Sampson County13.362+1.62 pts
42Lincoln County13.315-0.38 pts
43Yadkin County13.124+0.73 pts
44Caldwell County13.107+2.81 pts
45Cumberland County13.1-2 pts
46Cabarrus County13.013-3.72 pts
47Stanly County13.01-2.3 pts
48Halifax County12.993-3.21 pts
49Granville County12.694+2.14 pts
50Gates County12.556+1.87 pts
51Madison County12.483-4.81 pts
52Watauga County12.47-3.79 pts
53Polk County12.451-0.24 pts
54Carteret County12.447-2.22 pts
55Camden County12.444-1.11 pts
56Beaufort County12.404-1.59 pts
57Davidson County12.294-4.76 pts
58Durham County12.267-5.2 pts
59Chatham County12.159-3.41 pts
60Montgomery County12.105-0.76 pts
61Craven County12.022-1.24 pts
62Cleveland County11.972-2.49 pts
63Forsyth County11.95-0.83 pts
64Richmond County11.839+1.02 pts
65Burke County11.748+0.93 pts
66Person County11.701-1.96 pts
67Davie County11.638-13.43 pts
68Chowan County11.575+1.96 pts
69Guilford County11.386-3.69 pts
70Lee County11.265-0.99 pts
71Swain County11.228-8.42 pts
72Orange County11.219-1.44 pts
73Pamlico County11.206-7.37 pts
74Wayne County11.159+0.34 pts
75Ashe County11.145-1.57 pts
76Rockingham County11.078-3.26 pts
77Scotland County11.031-6.81 pts
78Lenoir County10.925+0.84 pts
79Rowan County10.9-1.87 pts
80Cherokee County10.891-0.8 pts
81Pasquotank County10.858-5.05 pts
82Avery County10.785-6.47 pts
83Wilson County10.776-1.67 pts
84Martin County10.533+1.47 pts
85Hyde County10.353-7.78 pts
86Vance County10.333-1.97 pts
87Washington County10.316-1.86 pts
88Stokes County10.302-4.86 pts
89Northampton County9.7540 pts
90Randolph County9.608-2.88 pts
91Alleghany County9.561-3.92 pts
92Hoke County9.543-3.51 pts
93McDowell County9.2+0.09 pts
94Robeson County8.795-1.93 pts
95Alexander County8.137-6.89 pts
96Edgecombe County7.717-6.11 pts
97Surry County7.666-6.83 pts
98Anson County7.02-8 pts
99Tyrrell County6.582-19.11 pts
100Hertford County5.843-2.98 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs added at opening and expanding establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs lost elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is this rate minus job_destruction_rate. Not the same as payroll job growth from the monthly employment surveys. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

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. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.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. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate, 2023
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job creation rate?

Caswell County, with 22.336% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Hertford County, with 5.843% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job creation rate: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings