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

Counties in North Carolina by job destruction rate

Graham County had the highest job destruction rate of 100 counties in 2021, at 25.413%. Northampton County had the lowest, at 5.532%. The median was 12.811% and the figure for North Carolina was 14.04%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest25.413Graham County
Lowest5.532Northampton County
Median12.811100 counties
North Carolina14.04History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 15.577 %Alexander County: 8.267 %Alleghany County: 14.347 %Anson County: 17.432 %Ashe County: 11.564 %Avery County: 11.615 %Beaufort County: 8.753 %Bertie County: 9.406 %Bladen County: 6.322 %Brunswick County: 10.344 %Buncombe County: 16.982 %Burke County: 10.57 %Cabarrus County: 14.854 %Caldwell County: 13.443 %Camden County: 17.399 %Carteret County: 11.917 %Caswell County: 13.525 %Catawba County: 11.631 %Chatham County: 15.525 %Cherokee County: 9.746 %Chowan County: 8.664 %Clay County: 14.69 %Cleveland County: 10.687 %Columbus County: 14.361 %Craven County: 9.943 %Cumberland County: 13.376 %Currituck County: 15.289 %Dare County: 14.956 %Davidson County: 12.819 %Davie County: 14.623 %Duplin County: 10.619 %Durham County: 15.219 %Edgecombe County: 9.449 %Forsyth County: 12.803 %Franklin County: 14.576 %Gaston County: 14.941 %Gates County: 17.119 %Graham County: 25.413 %Granville County: 8.43 %Greene County: 10.405 %Guilford County: 14.087 %Halifax County: 12.905 %Harnett County: 11.817 %Haywood County: 14.63 %Henderson County: 12.598 %Hertford County: 9.349 %Hoke County: 10.691 %Hyde County: 13.366 %Iredell County: 12.277 %Jackson County: 12.083 %Johnston County: 13.276 %Jones County: 9.212 %Lee County: 12.64 %Lenoir County: 10.967 %Lincoln County: 12.444 %McDowell County: 11.124 %Macon County: 13.387 %Madison County: 15.721 %Martin County: 10.766 %Mecklenburg County: 16.128 %Mitchell County: 8.511 %Montgomery County: 11.496 %Moore County: 11.075 %Nash County: 12.945 %New Hanover County: 13.15 %Northampton County: 5.532 %Onslow County: 13.441 %Orange County: 14.422 %Pamlico County: 12.847 %Pasquotank County: 13.977 %Pender County: 12.424 %Perquimans County: 7.009 %Person County: 13.667 %Pitt County: 11.867 %Polk County: 15.253 %Randolph County: 12.4 %Richmond County: 11.709 %Robeson County: 14.239 %Rockingham County: 14.375 %Rowan County: 10.635 %Rutherford County: 16.04 %Sampson County: 10.1 %Scotland County: 13.221 %Stanly County: 12.733 %Stokes County: 17.464 %Surry County: 9.462 %Swain County: 13.401 %Transylvania County: 13.749 %Tyrrell County: 12.687 %Union County: 13.155 %Vance County: 14.105 %Wake County: 15.785 %Warren County: 11.516 %Washington County: 11.723 %Watauga County: 12.952 %Wayne County: 11.029 %Wilkes County: 13.073 %Wilson County: 12.946 %Yadkin County: 10.495 %Yancey County: 10.288 %
  • Under 10
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%, 2021. 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, 2021

Graham County: 25.413 %Graham County25.413Stokes County: 17.464 %Stokes County17.464Anson County: 17.432 %Anson County17.432Camden County: 17.399 %Camden County17.399Gates County: 17.119 %Gates County17.119Buncombe County: 16.982 %Buncombe County16.982Mecklenburg County: 16.128 %Mecklenburg County16.128Rutherford County: 16.04 %Rutherford County16.04Wake County: 15.785 %Wake County15.785Madison County: 15.721 %Madison County15.721Alamance County: 15.577 %Alamance County15.577Chatham County: 15.525 %Chatham County15.525Currituck County: 15.289 %Currituck County15.289Polk County: 15.253 %Polk County15.253Durham County: 15.219 %Durham County15.219Dare County: 14.956 %Dare County14.956Gaston County: 14.941 %Gaston County14.941Cabarrus County: 14.854 %Cabarrus County14.854Clay County: 14.69 %Clay County14.69Haywood County: 14.63 %Haywood County14.63Davie County: 14.623 %Davie County14.623Franklin County: 14.576 %Franklin County14.576Orange County: 14.422 %Orange County14.422Rockingham County: 14.375 %Rockingham County14.375Columbus County: 14.361 %Columbus County14.361Alleghany County: 14.347 %Alleghany County14.347Robeson County: 14.239 %Robeson County14.239Vance County: 14.105 %Vance County14.105Guilford County: 14.087 %Guilford County14.087Pasquotank County: 13.977 %Pasquotank County13.977Transylvania County: 13.749 %Transylvania County13.749Person County: 13.667 %Person County13.667Caswell County: 13.525 %Caswell County13.525Caldwell County: 13.443 %Caldwell County13.443Onslow County: 13.441 %Onslow County13.441Swain County: 13.401 %Swain County13.401Macon County: 13.387 %Macon County13.387Cumberland County: 13.376 %Cumberland County13.376Hyde County: 13.366 %Hyde County13.366Johnston County: 13.276 %Johnston County13.276Graham County: 25.413 %Graham County25.413Stokes County: 17.464 %Stokes County17.464Anson County: 17.432 %Anson County17.432Camden County: 17.399 %Camden County17.399Gates County: 17.119 %Gates County17.119Buncombe County: 16.982 %Buncombe County16.982Mecklenburg County: 16.128 %Mecklenburg County16.128Rutherford County: 16.04 %Rutherford County16.04Wake County: 15.785 %Wake County15.785Madison County: 15.721 %Madison County15.721Alamance County: 15.577 %Alamance County15.577Chatham County: 15.525 %Chatham County15.525Currituck County: 15.289 %Currituck County15.289Polk County: 15.253 %Polk County15.253Durham County: 15.219 %Durham County15.219Dare County: 14.956 %Dare County14.956Gaston County: 14.941 %Gaston County14.941Cabarrus County: 14.854 %Cabarrus County14.854Clay County: 14.69 %Clay County14.69Haywood County: 14.63 %Haywood County14.63Davie County: 14.623 %Davie County14.623Franklin County: 14.576 %Franklin County14.576Orange County: 14.422 %Orange County14.422Rockingham County: 14.375 %Rockingham County14.375Columbus County: 14.361 %Columbus County14.361Alleghany County: 14.347 %Alleghany County14.347Robeson County: 14.239 %Robeson County14.239Vance County: 14.105 %Vance County14.105Guilford County: 14.087 %Guilford County14.087Pasquotank County: 13.977 %Pasquotank County13.977Transylvania County: 13.749 %Transylvania County13.749Person County: 13.667 %Person County13.667Caswell County: 13.525 %Caswell County13.525Caldwell County: 13.443 %Caldwell County13.443Onslow County: 13.441 %Onslow County13.441Swain County: 13.401 %Swain County13.401Macon County: 13.387 %Macon County13.387Cumberland County: 13.376 %Cumberland County13.376Hyde County: 13.366 %Hyde County13.366Johnston County: 13.276 %Johnston County13.276
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Graham County25.413+3.07 pts
2Stokes County17.464+5.93 pts
3Anson County17.432+4.01 pts
4Camden County17.399+4.62 pts
5Gates County17.119+11.2 pts
6Buncombe County16.982+6.49 pts
7Mecklenburg County16.128+4.73 pts
8Rutherford County16.04+5.1 pts
9Wake County15.785+5 pts
10Madison County15.721+8.71 pts
11Alamance County15.577+3.05 pts
12Chatham County15.525+3.33 pts
13Currituck County15.289+4.06 pts
14Polk County15.253+7.97 pts
15Durham County15.219+7.39 pts
16Dare County14.956+3.59 pts
17Gaston County14.941+0.5 pts
18Cabarrus County14.854+4.55 pts
19Clay County14.69+0.12 pts
20Haywood County14.63+2.63 pts
21Davie County14.623+3.83 pts
22Franklin County14.576+1.15 pts
23Orange County14.422+4.22 pts
24Rockingham County14.375+1.9 pts
25Columbus County14.361+0.28 pts
26Alleghany County14.347+3.62 pts
27Robeson County14.239+2.59 pts
28Vance County14.105+6.2 pts
29Guilford County14.087+2.46 pts
30Pasquotank County13.977+3.34 pts
31Transylvania County13.749-1.2 pts
32Person County13.667+0.17 pts
33Caswell County13.525-3.92 pts
34Caldwell County13.443+4.61 pts
35Onslow County13.441-0.58 pts
36Swain County13.401+0.3 pts
37Macon County13.387-1.74 pts
38Cumberland County13.376+2.94 pts
39Hyde County13.366-8.1 pts
40Johnston County13.276+4.19 pts
41Scotland County13.221+2.75 pts
42Union County13.155+3.36 pts
43New Hanover County13.15+2.85 pts
44Wilkes County13.073-3.04 pts
45Watauga County12.952+2.14 pts
46Wilson County12.946+4.4 pts
47Nash County12.945+4.21 pts
48Halifax County12.905-5.58 pts
49Pamlico County12.847-0.58 pts
50Davidson County12.819+1.34 pts
51Forsyth County12.803+4.58 pts
52Stanly County12.733+1.28 pts
53Tyrrell County12.687+0.66 pts
54Lee County12.64+4.28 pts
55Henderson County12.598+1.8 pts
56Lincoln County12.444+2.92 pts
57Pender County12.424+1.59 pts
58Randolph County12.4+1.46 pts
59Iredell County12.277+1.92 pts
60Jackson County12.083+1.79 pts
61Carteret County11.917-0.8 pts
62Pitt County11.867+2.36 pts
63Harnett County11.817-0.11 pts
64Washington County11.723-4.82 pts
65Richmond County11.709+2.25 pts
66Catawba County11.631+3.43 pts
67Avery County11.615+3.52 pts
68Ashe County11.564+2.88 pts
69Warren County11.516-1.46 pts
70Montgomery County11.496+0.43 pts
71McDowell County11.124-0.41 pts
72Moore County11.075+1.42 pts
73Wayne County11.029+1.78 pts
74Lenoir County10.967+2.17 pts
75Martin County10.766+1.72 pts
76Hoke County10.691+2.25 pts
77Cleveland County10.687+1.15 pts
78Rowan County10.635-2.73 pts
79Duplin County10.619+2.54 pts
80Burke County10.57+2.39 pts
81Yadkin County10.495-4.68 pts
82Greene County10.405-1.6 pts
83Brunswick County10.344-0.83 pts
84Yancey County10.288+3.52 pts
85Sampson County10.1-0.28 pts
86Craven County9.943-0.14 pts
87Cherokee County9.746-0.58 pts
88Surry County9.462+0.73 pts
89Edgecombe County9.449-0.09 pts
90Bertie County9.406-0.38 pts
91Hertford County9.349+1.07 pts
92Jones County9.212-4.03 pts
93Beaufort County8.753-0.6 pts
94Chowan County8.664+1.89 pts
95Mitchell County8.511-2.82 pts
96Granville County8.43+1.63 pts
97Alexander County8.267-7.12 pts
98Perquimans County7.009-1.9 pts
99Bladen County6.322-1.19 pts
100Northampton County5.532-12.31 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, 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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, 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.

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, 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-destruction-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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by job destruction 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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, 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-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
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?

Graham County, with 25.413% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Northampton County, with 5.532% 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 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