Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in North Carolina

Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Knightdale, NC had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 93 cities in 2024, at 77.8%. Elon, NC had the lowest, at 42.3%. The median was 64.2% and the figure for North Carolina was 62.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest77.8Knightdale, NC
Lowest42.3Elon, NC
Median64.293 cities
North Carolina62.8History

Top 40 cities, 2024

Knightdale, NC: 77.8 %Knightdale, NC77.8Jacksonville, NC: 77.5 %Jacksonville, NC77.5Havelock, NC: 76 %Havelock, NC76Indian Trail, NC: 76 %Indian Trail, NC76Morrisville, NC: 75.5 %Morrisville, NC75.5Huntersville, NC: 73.8 %Huntersville, NC73.8Wendell, NC: 73.6 %Wendell, NC73.6Clayton, NC: 73.4 %Clayton, NC73.4Stallings, NC: 73.2 %Stallings, NC73.2Apex, NC: 73 %Apex, NC73Charlotte, NC: 72.6 %Charlotte, NC72.6Carrboro, NC: 72.4 %Carrboro, NC72.4Holly Springs, NC: 72.1 %Holly Springs, NC72.1Pineville, NC: 71.9 %Pineville, NC71.9Concord, NC: 70.9 %Concord, NC70.9Raleigh, NC: 70.9 %Raleigh, NC70.9Mooresville, NC: 70.2 %Mooresville, NC70.2Wake Forest, NC: 70 %Wake Forest, NC70Rolesville, NC: 69.8 %Rolesville, NC69.8Winterville, NC: 69.8 %Winterville, NC69.8Mount Holly, NC: 69.6 %Mount Holly, NC69.6Harrisburg, NC: 69.4 %Harrisburg, NC69.4Waxhaw, NC: 69.4 %Waxhaw, NC69.4Mebane, NC: 69.3 %Mebane, NC69.3Durham, NC: 69.2 %Durham, NC69.2Spring Lake, NC: 69.2 %Spring Lake, NC69.2Cary, NC: 69.1 %Cary, NC69.1Aberdeen, NC: 67.9 %Aberdeen, NC67.9Lewisville, NC: 67.8 %Lewisville, NC67.8Kannapolis, NC: 67.5 %Kannapolis, NC67.5Clemmons, NC: 67 %Clemmons, NC67Zebulon, NC: 66.7 %Zebulon, NC66.7Fayetteville, NC: 66.7 %Fayetteville, NC66.7Wilmington, NC: 66.6 %Wilmington, NC66.6Fuquay-Varina, NC: 66.4 %Fuquay-Varina, NC66.4Mint Hill, NC: 66.4 %Mint Hill, NC66.4Matthews, NC: 66.1 %Matthews, NC66.1Garner, NC: 65.9 %Garner, NC65.9Gastonia, NC: 65.7 %Gastonia, NC65.7Cornelius, NC: 65.5 %Cornelius, NC65.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Knightdale, NC77.8+1 pts
2Jacksonville, NC77.5-0.2 pts
3Havelock, NC76-0.9 pts
4Indian Trail, NC760 pts
5Morrisville, NC75.5+0.2 pts
6Huntersville, NC73.8-0.1 pts
7Wendell, NC73.6-1.1 pts
8Clayton, NC73.4+2.3 pts
9Stallings, NC73.2+0.3 pts
10Apex, NC73-1 pts
11Charlotte, NC72.6+0.1 pts
12Carrboro, NC72.4+0.3 pts
13Holly Springs, NC72.1-0.2 pts
14Pineville, NC71.9+4.6 pts
15Concord, NC70.9+0.3 pts
16Raleigh, NC70.9+0.4 pts
17Mooresville, NC70.20 pts
18Wake Forest, NC70+1.3 pts
19Rolesville, NC69.8+2.3 pts
20Winterville, NC69.8+0.3 pts
21Mount Holly, NC69.6-1.8 pts
22Harrisburg, NC69.4-0.2 pts
23Waxhaw, NC69.4+0.4 pts
24Mebane, NC69.3+0.1 pts
25Durham, NC69.2-0 pts
26Spring Lake, NC69.2+0.9 pts
27Cary, NC69.1-0.1 pts
28Aberdeen, NC67.9-1.5 pts
29Lewisville, NC67.8+3.5 pts
30Kannapolis, NC67.5+1.7 pts
31Clemmons, NC67+4.2 pts
32Zebulon, NC66.7+0.9 pts
33Fayetteville, NC66.7-0.1 pts
34Wilmington, NC66.6+1.8 pts
35Fuquay-Varina, NC66.4-2.3 pts
36Mint Hill, NC66.4+0.9 pts
37Matthews, NC66.1+0.7 pts
38Garner, NC65.9-2.5 pts
39Gastonia, NC65.7+1.2 pts
40Cornelius, NC65.5+0.3 pts
41Kernersville, NC65.4-0.4 pts
42Greensboro, NC65.2-0.4 pts
43Weddington, NC64.9-0.2 pts
44Summerfield, NC64.7-0.2 pts
45Statesville, NC64.7-0.7 pts
46Monroe, NC64.2+0.4 pts
47Greenville, NC64.2-0.6 pts
48Belmont, NC64-2.4 pts
49Burlington, NC63.9+0.8 pts
50Graham, NC63.80 pts
51High Point, NC62.4+0.6 pts
52Asheville, NC62-1.1 pts
53Kings Mountain, NC61.8+3.1 pts
54Sanford, NC61.5-1.1 pts
55Winston-Salem, NC61.5-0.3 pts
56Thomasville, NC61.1+1.6 pts
57Hope Mills, NC61-0.6 pts
58Asheboro, NC60.3+0.9 pts
59Morehead City, NC60+0.3 pts
60Archdale, NC60-3 pts
61New Bern, NC59.7-0.4 pts
62Elizabeth City, NC59.6+0.2 pts
63Rocky Mount, NC59.4+0.8 pts
64Davidson, NC59.3-2.5 pts
65Henderson, NC59.3+2.1 pts
66Hickory, NC59.2-0.6 pts
67Lincolnton, NC58.7+1.2 pts
68Wilson, NC58.6+0.2 pts
69Southern Pines, NC58.6+1.3 pts
70Roanoke Rapids, NC58.3+2.2 pts
71Chapel Hill, NC58.1+0.5 pts
72Waynesville, NC57.8+2 pts
73Leland, NC57.5+1 pts
74Goldsboro, NC57.1-1.1 pts
75Eden, NC56.9-3 pts
76Newton, NC56.9-2.9 pts
77Morganton, NC56.4+0.3 pts
78Albemarle, NC56.2+0.7 pts
79Shelby, NC55.5-0.5 pts
80Salisbury, NC55.2-1.5 pts
81Lexington, NC55-1.3 pts
82Boone, NC53.9-0.4 pts
83Lenoir, NC52.7-2 pts
84Tarboro, NC52.5-0.4 pts
85Hendersonville, NC52.2-1.7 pts
86Laurinburg, NC52.2-0.7 pts
87Kinston, NC52+1.4 pts
88Smithfield, NC52+5.2 pts
89Reidsville, NC51.8-1.1 pts
90Mount Airy, NC51-1.1 pts
91Lumberton, NC50.5+0.2 pts
92Pinehurst, NC43.1-1.2 pts
93Elon, NC42.3-2.4 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. 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. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which city has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Knightdale, NC, with 77.8% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Elon, NC, with 42.3% in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings