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

Counties in North Carolina by job destruction rate

Madison County had the highest job destruction rate of 100 counties in 2016, at 24.331%. Ashe County had the lowest, at 5.813%. The median was 9.376% and the figure for North Carolina was 10.09%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest24.331Madison County
Lowest5.813Ashe County
Median9.376100 counties
North Carolina10.09History

Map of counties, 2016

Alamance County: 7.446 %Alexander County: 7.532 %Alleghany County: 6.073 %Anson County: 9.29 %Ashe County: 5.813 %Avery County: 13.23 %Beaufort County: 12.278 %Bertie County: 15.266 %Bladen County: 6.44 %Brunswick County: 11.017 %Buncombe County: 9.205 %Burke County: 9.996 %Cabarrus County: 11.18 %Caldwell County: 7.528 %Camden County: 14.561 %Carteret County: 9.857 %Caswell County: 12.442 %Catawba County: 7.897 %Chatham County: 9.383 %Cherokee County: 7.044 %Chowan County: 8.427 %Clay County: 11.73 %Cleveland County: 7.263 %Columbus County: 9.752 %Craven County: 9.325 %Cumberland County: 9.925 %Currituck County: 21.248 %Dare County: 11.085 %Davidson County: 9.885 %Davie County: 7.731 %Duplin County: 7.101 %Durham County: 7.13 %Edgecombe County: 6.328 %Forsyth County: 9.369 %Franklin County: 10.504 %Gaston County: 8.9 %Gates County: 10.807 %Graham County: 20.606 %Granville County: 8.092 %Greene County: 13.845 %Guilford County: 9.034 %Halifax County: 7.025 %Harnett County: 8.6 %Haywood County: 8.733 %Henderson County: 7.228 %Hertford County: 7.608 %Hoke County: 8.109 %Hyde County: 14.631 %Iredell County: 9.134 %Jackson County: 12.465 %Johnston County: 10.684 %Jones County: 9.186 %Lee County: 10.529 %Lenoir County: 8.13 %Lincoln County: 8.664 %McDowell County: 7.152 %Macon County: 11.131 %Madison County: 24.331 %Martin County: 10.666 %Mecklenburg County: 11.757 %Mitchell County: 12.276 %Montgomery County: 7.814 %Moore County: 7.756 %Nash County: 8.329 %New Hanover County: 9.893 %Northampton County: 8.241 %Onslow County: 12.251 %Orange County: 8.294 %Pamlico County: 11.178 %Pasquotank County: 15.779 %Pender County: 13.437 %Perquimans County: 9.538 %Person County: 7.176 %Pitt County: 9.849 %Polk County: 10.52 %Randolph County: 8.761 %Richmond County: 6.73 %Robeson County: 6.566 %Rockingham County: 9.832 %Rowan County: 10.62 %Rutherford County: 10.214 %Sampson County: 8.102 %Scotland County: 8.275 %Stanly County: 8.564 %Stokes County: 10.08 %Surry County: 8.256 %Swain County: 11.487 %Transylvania County: 7.042 %Tyrrell County: 9.617 %Union County: 9.542 %Vance County: 8.212 %Wake County: 10.392 %Warren County: 13.148 %Washington County: 10.398 %Watauga County: 9.633 %Wayne County: 8.176 %Wilkes County: 8.662 %Wilson County: 10.589 %Yadkin County: 15.842 %Yancey County: 6.762 %
  • Under 7.5
  • 7.5 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9.4
  • 9.4 to 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2016. 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, 2016

Madison County: 24.331 %Madison County24.331Currituck County: 21.248 %Currituck County21.248Graham County: 20.606 %Graham County20.606Yadkin County: 15.842 %Yadkin County15.842Pasquotank County: 15.779 %Pasquotank County15.779Bertie County: 15.266 %Bertie County15.266Hyde County: 14.631 %Hyde County14.631Camden County: 14.561 %Camden County14.561Greene County: 13.845 %Greene County13.845Pender County: 13.437 %Pender County13.437Avery County: 13.23 %Avery County13.23Warren County: 13.148 %Warren County13.148Jackson County: 12.465 %Jackson County12.465Caswell County: 12.442 %Caswell County12.442Beaufort County: 12.278 %Beaufort County12.278Mitchell County: 12.276 %Mitchell County12.276Onslow County: 12.251 %Onslow County12.251Mecklenburg County: 11.757 %Mecklenburg County11.757Clay County: 11.73 %Clay County11.73Swain County: 11.487 %Swain County11.487Cabarrus County: 11.18 %Cabarrus County11.18Pamlico County: 11.178 %Pamlico County11.178Macon County: 11.131 %Macon County11.131Dare County: 11.085 %Dare County11.085Brunswick County: 11.017 %Brunswick County11.017Gates County: 10.807 %Gates County10.807Johnston County: 10.684 %Johnston County10.684Martin County: 10.666 %Martin County10.666Rowan County: 10.62 %Rowan County10.62Wilson County: 10.589 %Wilson County10.589Lee County: 10.529 %Lee County10.529Polk County: 10.52 %Polk County10.52Franklin County: 10.504 %Franklin County10.504Washington County: 10.398 %Washington County10.398Wake County: 10.392 %Wake County10.392Rutherford County: 10.214 %Rutherford County10.214Stokes County: 10.08 %Stokes County10.08Burke County: 9.996 %Burke County9.996Cumberland County: 9.925 %Cumberland County9.925New Hanover County: 9.893 %New Hanover County9.893Madison County: 24.331 %Madison County24.331Currituck County: 21.248 %Currituck County21.248Graham County: 20.606 %Graham County20.606Yadkin County: 15.842 %Yadkin County15.842Pasquotank County: 15.779 %Pasquotank County15.779Bertie County: 15.266 %Bertie County15.266Hyde County: 14.631 %Hyde County14.631Camden County: 14.561 %Camden County14.561Greene County: 13.845 %Greene County13.845Pender County: 13.437 %Pender County13.437Avery County: 13.23 %Avery County13.23Warren County: 13.148 %Warren County13.148Jackson County: 12.465 %Jackson County12.465Caswell County: 12.442 %Caswell County12.442Beaufort County: 12.278 %Beaufort County12.278Mitchell County: 12.276 %Mitchell County12.276Onslow County: 12.251 %Onslow County12.251Mecklenburg County: 11.757 %Mecklenburg County11.757Clay County: 11.73 %Clay County11.73Swain County: 11.487 %Swain County11.487Cabarrus County: 11.18 %Cabarrus County11.18Pamlico County: 11.178 %Pamlico County11.178Macon County: 11.131 %Macon County11.131Dare County: 11.085 %Dare County11.085Brunswick County: 11.017 %Brunswick County11.017Gates County: 10.807 %Gates County10.807Johnston County: 10.684 %Johnston County10.684Martin County: 10.666 %Martin County10.666Rowan County: 10.62 %Rowan County10.62Wilson County: 10.589 %Wilson County10.589Lee County: 10.529 %Lee County10.529Polk County: 10.52 %Polk County10.52Franklin County: 10.504 %Franklin County10.504Washington County: 10.398 %Washington County10.398Wake County: 10.392 %Wake County10.392Rutherford County: 10.214 %Rutherford County10.214Stokes County: 10.08 %Stokes County10.08Burke County: 9.996 %Burke County9.996Cumberland County: 9.925 %Cumberland County9.925New Hanover County: 9.893 %New Hanover County9.893
%. 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

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Madison County24.331+15.78 pts
2Currituck County21.248+11.28 pts
3Graham County20.606-6.68 pts
4Yadkin County15.842+10.91 pts
5Pasquotank County15.779+2.83 pts
6Bertie County15.266+6.53 pts
7Hyde County14.631-5.04 pts
8Camden County14.561+0.33 pts
9Greene County13.845+8.09 pts
10Pender County13.437-0.14 pts
11Avery County13.23+2.59 pts
12Warren County13.148+5.68 pts
13Jackson County12.465+5.11 pts
14Caswell County12.442+2.94 pts
15Beaufort County12.278+0.43 pts
16Mitchell County12.276+0.84 pts
17Onslow County12.251+0.29 pts
18Mecklenburg County11.757+1.36 pts
19Clay County11.73-0.64 pts
20Swain County11.487+0.23 pts
21Cabarrus County11.18+2.01 pts
22Pamlico County11.178+3.49 pts
23Macon County11.131+0.64 pts
24Dare County11.085-0.88 pts
25Brunswick County11.017+0.88 pts
26Gates County10.807-12.09 pts
27Johnston County10.684+2.42 pts
28Martin County10.666-2.87 pts
29Rowan County10.62+1.46 pts
30Wilson County10.589+1.35 pts
31Lee County10.529-0.81 pts
32Polk County10.52+2.77 pts
33Franklin County10.504-0.38 pts
34Washington County10.398+3.86 pts
35Wake County10.392-0.86 pts
36Rutherford County10.214+0.13 pts
37Stokes County10.08+1.56 pts
38Burke County9.996+0.53 pts
39Cumberland County9.925-0.94 pts
40New Hanover County9.893-0.18 pts
41Davidson County9.885+0.38 pts
42Carteret County9.857+0.29 pts
43Pitt County9.849+0.76 pts
44Rockingham County9.832-2.03 pts
45Columbus County9.752-1.05 pts
46Watauga County9.633+1.44 pts
47Tyrrell County9.617-11.58 pts
48Union County9.542+1.73 pts
49Perquimans County9.538-4.65 pts
50Chatham County9.383+2.03 pts
51Forsyth County9.369+1.18 pts
52Craven County9.325-1.12 pts
53Anson County9.29-2.04 pts
54Buncombe County9.205+0.43 pts
55Jones County9.186-3.91 pts
56Iredell County9.134+0.36 pts
57Guilford County9.034-1.59 pts
58Gaston County8.9-0.59 pts
59Randolph County8.761-2.33 pts
60Haywood County8.733-0.4 pts
61Lincoln County8.664-3.05 pts
62Wilkes County8.662+0.88 pts
63Harnett County8.6-6.58 pts
64Stanly County8.564-5.95 pts
65Chowan County8.427-0.18 pts
66Nash County8.329-0.32 pts
67Orange County8.294+1.13 pts
68Scotland County8.275-2.62 pts
69Surry County8.256-0.53 pts
70Northampton County8.241+1.22 pts
71Vance County8.212+0.19 pts
72Wayne County8.176-0.18 pts
73Lenoir County8.13-0.34 pts
74Hoke County8.109-1.43 pts
75Sampson County8.102-1.62 pts
76Granville County8.092-2.78 pts
77Catawba County7.897-1.16 pts
78Montgomery County7.814+3.28 pts
79Moore County7.756-3.58 pts
80Davie County7.731-4.25 pts
81Hertford County7.608-1.83 pts
82Alexander County7.532+1.57 pts
83Caldwell County7.528-3.02 pts
84Alamance County7.446-1.5 pts
85Cleveland County7.263-3.51 pts
86Henderson County7.228-1.55 pts
87Person County7.176+0.96 pts
88McDowell County7.152-1 pts
89Durham County7.13-4.05 pts
90Duplin County7.101+0.77 pts
91Cherokee County7.044-0.45 pts
92Transylvania County7.042-3.07 pts
93Halifax County7.025-1.64 pts
94Yancey County6.762-0.84 pts
95Richmond County6.73-4.25 pts
96Robeson County6.566-1.27 pts
97Bladen County6.44-4.99 pts
98Edgecombe County6.328-5.18 pts
99Alleghany County6.073-1.21 pts
100Ashe County5.813-4.91 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, 2016) [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, 2016. 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?period=2016. 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, 2016. 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?period=2016.

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, 2016 [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?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2016,
  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, 2016}},
  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?period=2016. 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, 2016
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?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2016.
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?

Madison County, with 24.331% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Ashe County, with 5.813% in 2016.

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