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

Counties in North Carolina by job destruction rate, 2023

Camden County had the highest job destruction rate of 100 counties in 2023, at 20.267%. Lenoir County had the lowest, at 5.515%. The median was 10.191% and the figure for North Carolina was 10.416%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest20.267Camden County
Lowest5.515Lenoir County
Median10.191100 counties
North Carolina10.416History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 9.557 %Alexander County: 8.174 %Alleghany County: 11.974 %Anson County: 15.086 %Ashe County: 7.763 %Avery County: 8.568 %Beaufort County: 11.194 %Bertie County: 8.297 %Bladen County: 8.075 %Brunswick County: 9.885 %Buncombe County: 12.215 %Burke County: 9.177 %Cabarrus County: 11.387 %Caldwell County: 7.819 %Camden County: 20.267 %Carteret County: 9.129 %Caswell County: 17.696 %Catawba County: 8.554 %Chatham County: 9.461 %Cherokee County: 7.986 %Chowan County: 9.25 %Clay County: 11.23 %Cleveland County: 13.727 %Columbus County: 14.629 %Craven County: 8.552 %Cumberland County: 10.271 %Currituck County: 14.014 %Dare County: 12.127 %Davidson County: 11.426 %Davie County: 10.78 %Duplin County: 9.199 %Durham County: 8.044 %Edgecombe County: 8.233 %Forsyth County: 8.081 %Franklin County: 12.44 %Gaston County: 10.07 %Gates County: 13.117 %Graham County: 15.795 %Granville County: 9.449 %Greene County: 16.414 %Guilford County: 11.794 %Halifax County: 11.675 %Harnett County: 9.571 %Haywood County: 7.4 %Henderson County: 10.912 %Hertford County: 14.405 %Hoke County: 8.213 %Hyde County: 19.001 %Iredell County: 9.416 %Jackson County: 8.559 %Johnston County: 11.83 %Jones County: 12.993 %Lee County: 9.348 %Lenoir County: 5.515 %Lincoln County: 9.988 %McDowell County: 8.702 %Macon County: 9.702 %Madison County: 15.022 %Martin County: 9.138 %Mecklenburg County: 10.192 %Mitchell County: 6.261 %Montgomery County: 11.935 %Moore County: 9.429 %Nash County: 11.951 %New Hanover County: 8.898 %Northampton County: 9.586 %Onslow County: 11.663 %Orange County: 8.255 %Pamlico County: 10.112 %Pasquotank County: 12.766 %Pender County: 10.485 %Perquimans County: 18.855 %Person County: 8.536 %Pitt County: 10.19 %Polk County: 10.155 %Randolph County: 16.378 %Richmond County: 9.175 %Robeson County: 9.019 %Rockingham County: 14.859 %Rowan County: 9.866 %Rutherford County: 13.582 %Sampson County: 9.592 %Scotland County: 11.94 %Stanly County: 11.669 %Stokes County: 13.658 %Surry County: 9.322 %Swain County: 18.012 %Transylvania County: 10.322 %Tyrrell County: 18.903 %Union County: 10.626 %Vance County: 8.506 %Wake County: 11.246 %Warren County: 11.461 %Washington County: 15.59 %Watauga County: 9.937 %Wayne County: 8.097 %Wilkes County: 9.255 %Wilson County: 16.199 %Yadkin County: 11.051 %Yancey County: 10.407 %
  • Under 8.5
  • 8.5 to 9.4
  • 9.4 to 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2023. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Camden County: 20.267 %Camden County20.267Hyde County: 19.001 %Hyde County19.001Tyrrell County: 18.903 %Tyrrell County18.903Perquimans County: 18.855 %Perquimans County18.855Swain County: 18.012 %Swain County18.012Caswell County: 17.696 %Caswell County17.696Greene County: 16.414 %Greene County16.414Randolph County: 16.378 %Randolph County16.378Wilson County: 16.199 %Wilson County16.199Graham County: 15.795 %Graham County15.795Washington County: 15.59 %Washington County15.59Anson County: 15.086 %Anson County15.086Madison County: 15.022 %Madison County15.022Rockingham County: 14.859 %Rockingham County14.859Columbus County: 14.629 %Columbus County14.629Hertford County: 14.405 %Hertford County14.405Currituck County: 14.014 %Currituck County14.014Cleveland County: 13.727 %Cleveland County13.727Stokes County: 13.658 %Stokes County13.658Rutherford County: 13.582 %Rutherford County13.582Gates County: 13.117 %Gates County13.117Jones County: 12.993 %Jones County12.993Pasquotank County: 12.766 %Pasquotank County12.766Franklin County: 12.44 %Franklin County12.44Buncombe County: 12.215 %Buncombe County12.215Dare County: 12.127 %Dare County12.127Alleghany County: 11.974 %Alleghany County11.974Nash County: 11.951 %Nash County11.951Scotland County: 11.94 %Scotland County11.94Montgomery County: 11.935 %Montgomery County11.935Johnston County: 11.83 %Johnston County11.83Guilford County: 11.794 %Guilford County11.794Halifax County: 11.675 %Halifax County11.675Stanly County: 11.669 %Stanly County11.669Onslow County: 11.663 %Onslow County11.663Warren County: 11.461 %Warren County11.461Davidson County: 11.426 %Davidson County11.426Cabarrus County: 11.387 %Cabarrus County11.387Wake County: 11.246 %Wake County11.246Clay County: 11.23 %Clay County11.23Camden County: 20.267 %Camden County20.267Hyde County: 19.001 %Hyde County19.001Tyrrell County: 18.903 %Tyrrell County18.903Perquimans County: 18.855 %Perquimans County18.855Swain County: 18.012 %Swain County18.012Caswell County: 17.696 %Caswell County17.696Greene County: 16.414 %Greene County16.414Randolph County: 16.378 %Randolph County16.378Wilson County: 16.199 %Wilson County16.199Graham County: 15.795 %Graham County15.795Washington County: 15.59 %Washington County15.59Anson County: 15.086 %Anson County15.086Madison County: 15.022 %Madison County15.022Rockingham County: 14.859 %Rockingham County14.859Columbus County: 14.629 %Columbus County14.629Hertford County: 14.405 %Hertford County14.405Currituck County: 14.014 %Currituck County14.014Cleveland County: 13.727 %Cleveland County13.727Stokes County: 13.658 %Stokes County13.658Rutherford County: 13.582 %Rutherford County13.582Gates County: 13.117 %Gates County13.117Jones County: 12.993 %Jones County12.993Pasquotank County: 12.766 %Pasquotank County12.766Franklin County: 12.44 %Franklin County12.44Buncombe County: 12.215 %Buncombe County12.215Dare County: 12.127 %Dare County12.127Alleghany County: 11.974 %Alleghany County11.974Nash County: 11.951 %Nash County11.951Scotland County: 11.94 %Scotland County11.94Montgomery County: 11.935 %Montgomery County11.935Johnston County: 11.83 %Johnston County11.83Guilford County: 11.794 %Guilford County11.794Halifax County: 11.675 %Halifax County11.675Stanly County: 11.669 %Stanly County11.669Onslow County: 11.663 %Onslow County11.663Warren County: 11.461 %Warren County11.461Davidson County: 11.426 %Davidson County11.426Cabarrus County: 11.387 %Cabarrus County11.387Wake County: 11.246 %Wake County11.246Clay County: 11.23 %Clay County11.23
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Camden County20.267+7.57 pts
2Hyde County19.001-0.29 pts
3Tyrrell County18.903+5.47 pts
4Perquimans County18.855-1.69 pts
5Swain County18.012+8.01 pts
6Caswell County17.696+8.46 pts
7Greene County16.414+1.76 pts
8Randolph County16.378+4.43 pts
9Wilson County16.199+1.53 pts
10Graham County15.795-7.11 pts
11Washington County15.59+5.44 pts
12Anson County15.086+4.37 pts
13Madison County15.022+6.31 pts
14Rockingham County14.859+4.92 pts
15Columbus County14.629+6.01 pts
16Hertford County14.405+1.58 pts
17Currituck County14.014-0.43 pts
18Cleveland County13.727+2.51 pts
19Stokes County13.658-3.03 pts
20Rutherford County13.582+4.66 pts
21Gates County13.117+1.65 pts
22Jones County12.993-11.96 pts
23Pasquotank County12.766+2.56 pts
24Franklin County12.44+1.93 pts
25Buncombe County12.215+3.02 pts
26Dare County12.127+1.4 pts
27Alleghany County11.974+4.4 pts
28Nash County11.951+1.52 pts
29Scotland County11.94+2.42 pts
30Montgomery County11.935+2.34 pts
31Johnston County11.83+1.11 pts
32Guilford County11.794+0.47 pts
33Halifax County11.675-2.84 pts
34Stanly County11.669+0.69 pts
35Onslow County11.663+1.1 pts
36Warren County11.461-0.83 pts
37Davidson County11.426+1.09 pts
38Cabarrus County11.387+1.38 pts
39Wake County11.246+0.05 pts
40Clay County11.23+1.61 pts
41Beaufort County11.194+2.29 pts
42Yadkin County11.051+2.94 pts
43Henderson County10.912-0.87 pts
44Davie County10.78+2.96 pts
45Union County10.626-0.46 pts
46Pender County10.485-3.59 pts
47Yancey County10.407-6.79 pts
48Transylvania County10.322-1.74 pts
49Cumberland County10.271-0.54 pts
50Mecklenburg County10.192-1.72 pts
51Pitt County10.19+0.64 pts
52Polk County10.155-0.94 pts
53Pamlico County10.112+2.88 pts
54Gaston County10.07-1.05 pts
55Lincoln County9.988-1.46 pts
56Watauga County9.937-0.53 pts
57Brunswick County9.885-1.95 pts
58Rowan County9.866+0.34 pts
59Macon County9.702+0.19 pts
60Sampson County9.592-2.98 pts
61Northampton County9.586-4.21 pts
62Harnett County9.571-3.47 pts
63Alamance County9.557-0.05 pts
64Chatham County9.461+0.1 pts
65Granville County9.449+1.01 pts
66Moore County9.429+1.07 pts
67Iredell County9.416-4.22 pts
68Lee County9.348-1.38 pts
69Surry County9.322+3.47 pts
70Wilkes County9.255+1.83 pts
71Chowan County9.25-9.35 pts
72Duplin County9.199-1.83 pts
73Burke County9.177-5.65 pts
74Richmond County9.175-2.23 pts
75Martin County9.138-5.12 pts
76Carteret County9.129-0.85 pts
77Robeson County9.019-1.67 pts
78New Hanover County8.898-2.16 pts
79McDowell County8.702-1.14 pts
80Avery County8.568-1.21 pts
81Jackson County8.559-0.57 pts
82Catawba County8.554-0.74 pts
83Craven County8.552-1.98 pts
84Person County8.536-3.77 pts
85Vance County8.506-4.32 pts
86Bertie County8.297-9.8 pts
87Orange County8.255-0.58 pts
88Edgecombe County8.233-3.57 pts
89Hoke County8.213-2.54 pts
90Alexander County8.174+0.53 pts
91Wayne County8.097-3.11 pts
92Forsyth County8.081-3.68 pts
93Bladen County8.075-12.07 pts
94Durham County8.044-2.53 pts
95Cherokee County7.986-0.15 pts
96Caldwell County7.819-0.09 pts
97Ashe County7.763-2.16 pts
98Haywood County7.4-3.24 pts
99Mitchell County6.261-11.38 pts
100Lenoir County5.515-1.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking 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 added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. 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 destruction 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction 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 destruction rate?

Camden County, with 20.267% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Lenoir County, with 5.515% 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings