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

Counties in North Carolina by job creation rate

Hyde County had the highest job creation rate of 100 counties in 2021, at 27.599%. Gates County had the lowest, at 4.593%. The median was 11.729% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.449%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27.599Hyde County
Lowest4.593Gates County
Median11.729100 counties
North Carolina12.449History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 11.002 %Alexander County: 11.525 %Alleghany County: 13.302 %Anson County: 11.678 %Ashe County: 11.316 %Avery County: 14.801 %Beaufort County: 12.174 %Bertie County: 6.395 %Bladen County: 15.519 %Brunswick County: 14.701 %Buncombe County: 11.575 %Burke County: 9.35 %Cabarrus County: 12.969 %Caldwell County: 16.714 %Camden County: 16.537 %Carteret County: 11.375 %Caswell County: 14.123 %Catawba County: 7.802 %Chatham County: 12.251 %Cherokee County: 6.883 %Chowan County: 14.106 %Clay County: 8.219 %Cleveland County: 9.97 %Columbus County: 15.208 %Craven County: 11.512 %Cumberland County: 10.517 %Currituck County: 14.448 %Dare County: 13.655 %Davidson County: 12.681 %Davie County: 9.559 %Duplin County: 8.06 %Durham County: 14.116 %Edgecombe County: 16.596 %Forsyth County: 8.912 %Franklin County: 12.8 %Gaston County: 15.361 %Gates County: 4.593 %Graham County: 11.39 %Granville County: 11.878 %Greene County: 19.12 %Guilford County: 11.28 %Halifax County: 11.665 %Harnett County: 10.874 %Haywood County: 10.061 %Henderson County: 11.085 %Hertford County: 11.529 %Hoke County: 11.662 %Hyde County: 27.599 %Iredell County: 12.243 %Jackson County: 9.608 %Johnston County: 12.433 %Jones County: 18.825 %Lee County: 11.289 %Lenoir County: 13.707 %Lincoln County: 16.869 %McDowell County: 8.195 %Macon County: 15.407 %Madison County: 8.658 %Martin County: 13.71 %Mecklenburg County: 12.647 %Mitchell County: 17.216 %Montgomery County: 7.837 %Moore County: 11.779 %Nash County: 7.674 %New Hanover County: 14.101 %Northampton County: 10.044 %Onslow County: 14.577 %Orange County: 14.044 %Pamlico County: 11.144 %Pasquotank County: 8.879 %Pender County: 18.855 %Perquimans County: 18.169 %Person County: 12.049 %Pitt County: 11.03 %Polk County: 10.533 %Randolph County: 11.329 %Richmond County: 9.803 %Robeson County: 8.188 %Rockingham County: 13.895 %Rowan County: 13.153 %Rutherford County: 8.733 %Sampson County: 9.571 %Scotland County: 11.372 %Stanly County: 14.807 %Stokes County: 12.712 %Surry County: 9.759 %Swain County: 14.925 %Transylvania County: 14.212 %Tyrrell County: 10.573 %Union County: 12.324 %Vance County: 10.404 %Wake County: 12.975 %Warren County: 12.62 %Washington County: 17.445 %Watauga County: 13.223 %Wayne County: 9.507 %Wilkes County: 10.717 %Wilson County: 17.723 %Yadkin County: 10.663 %Yancey County: 7.317 %
  • Under 9.5
  • 9.5 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 and over
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Hyde County: 27.599 %Hyde County27.599Greene County: 19.12 %Greene County19.12Pender County: 18.855 %Pender County18.855Jones County: 18.825 %Jones County18.825Perquimans County: 18.169 %Perquimans County18.169Wilson County: 17.723 %Wilson County17.723Washington County: 17.445 %Washington County17.445Mitchell County: 17.216 %Mitchell County17.216Lincoln County: 16.869 %Lincoln County16.869Caldwell County: 16.714 %Caldwell County16.714Edgecombe County: 16.596 %Edgecombe County16.596Camden County: 16.537 %Camden County16.537Bladen County: 15.519 %Bladen County15.519Macon County: 15.407 %Macon County15.407Gaston County: 15.361 %Gaston County15.361Columbus County: 15.208 %Columbus County15.208Swain County: 14.925 %Swain County14.925Stanly County: 14.807 %Stanly County14.807Avery County: 14.801 %Avery County14.801Brunswick County: 14.701 %Brunswick County14.701Onslow County: 14.577 %Onslow County14.577Currituck County: 14.448 %Currituck County14.448Transylvania County: 14.212 %Transylvania County14.212Caswell County: 14.123 %Caswell County14.123Durham County: 14.116 %Durham County14.116Chowan County: 14.106 %Chowan County14.106New Hanover County: 14.101 %New Hanover County14.101Orange County: 14.044 %Orange County14.044Rockingham County: 13.895 %Rockingham County13.895Martin County: 13.71 %Martin County13.71Lenoir County: 13.707 %Lenoir County13.707Dare County: 13.655 %Dare County13.655Alleghany County: 13.302 %Alleghany County13.302Watauga County: 13.223 %Watauga County13.223Rowan County: 13.153 %Rowan County13.153Wake County: 12.975 %Wake County12.975Cabarrus County: 12.969 %Cabarrus County12.969Franklin County: 12.8 %Franklin County12.8Stokes County: 12.712 %Stokes County12.712Davidson County: 12.681 %Davidson County12.681Hyde County: 27.599 %Hyde County27.599Greene County: 19.12 %Greene County19.12Pender County: 18.855 %Pender County18.855Jones County: 18.825 %Jones County18.825Perquimans County: 18.169 %Perquimans County18.169Wilson County: 17.723 %Wilson County17.723Washington County: 17.445 %Washington County17.445Mitchell County: 17.216 %Mitchell County17.216Lincoln County: 16.869 %Lincoln County16.869Caldwell County: 16.714 %Caldwell County16.714Edgecombe County: 16.596 %Edgecombe County16.596Camden County: 16.537 %Camden County16.537Bladen County: 15.519 %Bladen County15.519Macon County: 15.407 %Macon County15.407Gaston County: 15.361 %Gaston County15.361Columbus County: 15.208 %Columbus County15.208Swain County: 14.925 %Swain County14.925Stanly County: 14.807 %Stanly County14.807Avery County: 14.801 %Avery County14.801Brunswick County: 14.701 %Brunswick County14.701Onslow County: 14.577 %Onslow County14.577Currituck County: 14.448 %Currituck County14.448Transylvania County: 14.212 %Transylvania County14.212Caswell County: 14.123 %Caswell County14.123Durham County: 14.116 %Durham County14.116Chowan County: 14.106 %Chowan County14.106New Hanover County: 14.101 %New Hanover County14.101Orange County: 14.044 %Orange County14.044Rockingham County: 13.895 %Rockingham County13.895Martin County: 13.71 %Martin County13.71Lenoir County: 13.707 %Lenoir County13.707Dare County: 13.655 %Dare County13.655Alleghany County: 13.302 %Alleghany County13.302Watauga County: 13.223 %Watauga County13.223Rowan County: 13.153 %Rowan County13.153Wake County: 12.975 %Wake County12.975Cabarrus County: 12.969 %Cabarrus County12.969Franklin County: 12.8 %Franklin County12.8Stokes County: 12.712 %Stokes County12.712Davidson County: 12.681 %Davidson County12.681
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Hyde County27.599+15 pts
2Greene County19.12+8.38 pts
3Pender County18.855+5.93 pts
4Jones County18.825+4.88 pts
5Perquimans County18.169+9.33 pts
6Wilson County17.723+6.63 pts
7Washington County17.445+5.07 pts
8Mitchell County17.216+8.7 pts
9Lincoln County16.869+5.09 pts
10Caldwell County16.714+8.87 pts
11Edgecombe County16.596+9.55 pts
12Camden County16.537+2.72 pts
13Bladen County15.519+9.71 pts
14Macon County15.407+3.38 pts
15Gaston County15.361+3.78 pts
16Columbus County15.208+5.2 pts
17Swain County14.925+2.82 pts
18Stanly County14.807+2.85 pts
19Avery County14.801+5.39 pts
20Brunswick County14.701+2.72 pts
21Onslow County14.577+1.88 pts
22Currituck County14.448+1.57 pts
23Transylvania County14.212-0.27 pts
24Caswell County14.123-0.46 pts
25Durham County14.116+4.99 pts
26Chowan County14.106+4.81 pts
27New Hanover County14.101+2.87 pts
28Orange County14.044+4.44 pts
29Rockingham County13.895+1.6 pts
30Martin County13.71+5.86 pts
31Lenoir County13.707+6.51 pts
32Dare County13.655+2.32 pts
33Alleghany County13.302+4.73 pts
34Watauga County13.223+2.11 pts
35Rowan County13.153+4.03 pts
36Wake County12.975-0.48 pts
37Cabarrus County12.969-0.97 pts
38Franklin County12.8-0.4 pts
39Stokes County12.712+1.25 pts
40Davidson County12.681+0.41 pts
41Mecklenburg County12.647-0.65 pts
42Warren County12.62+4.62 pts
43Johnston County12.433+1.13 pts
44Union County12.324-0.2 pts
45Chatham County12.251-10.14 pts
46Iredell County12.243-1.62 pts
47Beaufort County12.174+3.9 pts
48Person County12.049-1.16 pts
49Granville County11.878-1.33 pts
50Moore County11.779+3.21 pts
51Anson County11.678+4.42 pts
52Halifax County11.665-3.86 pts
53Hoke County11.662+2.86 pts
54Buncombe County11.575+0.04 pts
55Hertford County11.529+3.88 pts
56Alexander County11.525+1.42 pts
57Craven County11.512+2.5 pts
58Graham County11.39-3.34 pts
59Carteret County11.375-2.13 pts
60Scotland County11.372+2.25 pts
61Randolph County11.329+2.39 pts
62Ashe County11.316+2.98 pts
63Lee County11.289-1.96 pts
64Guilford County11.28+0.18 pts
65Pamlico County11.144-0.42 pts
66Henderson County11.085-0.88 pts
67Pitt County11.03+1.97 pts
68Alamance County11.002+2.11 pts
69Harnett County10.874+0.78 pts
70Wilkes County10.717+2.56 pts
71Yadkin County10.663+3.99 pts
72Tyrrell County10.573-0.93 pts
73Polk County10.533-4.23 pts
74Cumberland County10.517+0.46 pts
75Vance County10.404+1.01 pts
76Haywood County10.061-0.55 pts
77Northampton County10.044+6.04 pts
78Cleveland County9.97+0.59 pts
79Richmond County9.803-4.09 pts
80Surry County9.759+1.14 pts
81Jackson County9.608-1.96 pts
82Sampson County9.571+2.14 pts
83Davie County9.559-2.01 pts
84Wayne County9.507+1.04 pts
85Burke County9.35+0.69 pts
86Forsyth County8.912-1.34 pts
87Pasquotank County8.879-4.41 pts
88Rutherford County8.733-2.18 pts
89Madison County8.658-7.07 pts
90Clay County8.219-0.11 pts
91McDowell County8.195-0.14 pts
92Robeson County8.188-1.89 pts
93Duplin County8.06-2.6 pts
94Montgomery County7.837+0.03 pts
95Catawba County7.802-1.46 pts
96Nash County7.674-3.39 pts
97Yancey County7.317-1.25 pts
98Cherokee County6.883-2.25 pts
99Bertie County6.395-0.3 pts
100Gates County4.593-20.29 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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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?period=2021. 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, 2021. 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?period=2021.

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, 2021 [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?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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?period=2021. 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, 2021
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?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
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?

Hyde County, with 27.599% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Gates County, with 4.593% in 2021.

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