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

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

Mecklenburg County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 100 counties in 2021, at 71.4%. Pamlico County had the lowest, at 44%. The median was 57.7% and the figure for North Carolina was 62.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest71.4Mecklenburg County
Lowest44Pamlico County
Median57.7100 counties
North Carolina62.6History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 61.8 %Alexander County: 57.1 %Alleghany County: 48.8 %Anson County: 53.7 %Ashe County: 57.1 %Avery County: 46.2 %Beaufort County: 54 %Bertie County: 45.8 %Bladen County: 49.5 %Brunswick County: 48.7 %Buncombe County: 60.9 %Burke County: 56.6 %Cabarrus County: 68.1 %Caldwell County: 57.5 %Camden County: 62.3 %Carteret County: 56.6 %Caswell County: 53 %Catawba County: 62 %Chatham County: 57.9 %Cherokee County: 47.9 %Chowan County: 52.4 %Clay County: 49.8 %Cleveland County: 57.7 %Columbus County: 48.1 %Craven County: 58.8 %Cumberland County: 64.6 %Currituck County: 65.6 %Dare County: 65.5 %Davidson County: 58.5 %Davie County: 58.8 %Duplin County: 59.6 %Durham County: 66.6 %Edgecombe County: 55.6 %Forsyth County: 62 %Franklin County: 61.3 %Gaston County: 62.9 %Gates County: 57.8 %Graham County: 51.1 %Granville County: 57.9 %Greene County: 52 %Guilford County: 64.4 %Halifax County: 49.5 %Harnett County: 60.4 %Haywood County: 55.3 %Henderson County: 58.1 %Hertford County: 50.3 %Hoke County: 58.7 %Hyde County: 44.7 %Iredell County: 65 %Jackson County: 55.1 %Johnston County: 65.4 %Jones County: 52.2 %Lee County: 61.5 %Lenoir County: 56.5 %Lincoln County: 61.9 %McDowell County: 55.5 %Macon County: 51.6 %Madison County: 54.2 %Martin County: 56.7 %Mecklenburg County: 71.4 %Mitchell County: 54.3 %Montgomery County: 52.1 %Moore County: 58 %Nash County: 60.2 %New Hanover County: 64 %Northampton County: 48.6 %Onslow County: 70.4 %Orange County: 62 %Pamlico County: 44 %Pasquotank County: 60.3 %Pender County: 60 %Perquimans County: 51.4 %Person County: 61.5 %Pitt County: 63.1 %Polk County: 53.8 %Randolph County: 59.8 %Richmond County: 57.7 %Robeson County: 51 %Rockingham County: 56.7 %Rowan County: 60.2 %Rutherford County: 52.8 %Sampson County: 57.8 %Scotland County: 52.4 %Stanly County: 59.3 %Stokes County: 56.9 %Surry County: 57.8 %Swain County: 54.4 %Transylvania County: 53.1 %Tyrrell County: 44.3 %Union County: 67.7 %Vance County: 58.7 %Wake County: 70 %Warren County: 49.3 %Washington County: 46.8 %Watauga County: 59.8 %Wayne County: 61.1 %Wilkes County: 55 %Wilson County: 59.3 %Yadkin County: 58.4 %Yancey County: 53.6 %
  • Under 51
  • 51 to 54
  • 54 to 58
  • 58 to 60
  • 60 to 62
  • 62 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Mecklenburg County: 71.4 %Mecklenburg County71.4Onslow County: 70.4 %Onslow County70.4Wake County: 70 %Wake County70Cabarrus County: 68.1 %Cabarrus County68.1Union County: 67.7 %Union County67.7Durham County: 66.6 %Durham County66.6Currituck County: 65.6 %Currituck County65.6Dare County: 65.5 %Dare County65.5Johnston County: 65.4 %Johnston County65.4Iredell County: 65 %Iredell County65Cumberland County: 64.6 %Cumberland County64.6Guilford County: 64.4 %Guilford County64.4New Hanover County: 64 %New Hanover County64Pitt County: 63.1 %Pitt County63.1Gaston County: 62.9 %Gaston County62.9Camden County: 62.3 %Camden County62.3Orange County: 62 %Orange County62Catawba County: 62 %Catawba County62Forsyth County: 62 %Forsyth County62Lincoln County: 61.9 %Lincoln County61.9Alamance County: 61.8 %Alamance County61.8Lee County: 61.5 %Lee County61.5Person County: 61.5 %Person County61.5Franklin County: 61.3 %Franklin County61.3Wayne County: 61.1 %Wayne County61.1Buncombe County: 60.9 %Buncombe County60.9Harnett County: 60.4 %Harnett County60.4Pasquotank County: 60.3 %Pasquotank County60.3Rowan County: 60.2 %Rowan County60.2Nash County: 60.2 %Nash County60.2Pender County: 60 %Pender County60Watauga County: 59.8 %Watauga County59.8Randolph County: 59.8 %Randolph County59.8Duplin County: 59.6 %Duplin County59.6Wilson County: 59.3 %Wilson County59.3Stanly County: 59.3 %Stanly County59.3Craven County: 58.8 %Craven County58.8Davie County: 58.8 %Davie County58.8Vance County: 58.7 %Vance County58.7Hoke County: 58.7 %Hoke County58.7Mecklenburg County: 71.4 %Mecklenburg County71.4Onslow County: 70.4 %Onslow County70.4Wake County: 70 %Wake County70Cabarrus County: 68.1 %Cabarrus County68.1Union County: 67.7 %Union County67.7Durham County: 66.6 %Durham County66.6Currituck County: 65.6 %Currituck County65.6Dare County: 65.5 %Dare County65.5Johnston County: 65.4 %Johnston County65.4Iredell County: 65 %Iredell County65Cumberland County: 64.6 %Cumberland County64.6Guilford County: 64.4 %Guilford County64.4New Hanover County: 64 %New Hanover County64Pitt County: 63.1 %Pitt County63.1Gaston County: 62.9 %Gaston County62.9Camden County: 62.3 %Camden County62.3Orange County: 62 %Orange County62Catawba County: 62 %Catawba County62Forsyth County: 62 %Forsyth County62Lincoln County: 61.9 %Lincoln County61.9Alamance County: 61.8 %Alamance County61.8Lee County: 61.5 %Lee County61.5Person County: 61.5 %Person County61.5Franklin County: 61.3 %Franklin County61.3Wayne County: 61.1 %Wayne County61.1Buncombe County: 60.9 %Buncombe County60.9Harnett County: 60.4 %Harnett County60.4Pasquotank County: 60.3 %Pasquotank County60.3Rowan County: 60.2 %Rowan County60.2Nash County: 60.2 %Nash County60.2Pender County: 60 %Pender County60Watauga County: 59.8 %Watauga County59.8Randolph County: 59.8 %Randolph County59.8Duplin County: 59.6 %Duplin County59.6Wilson County: 59.3 %Wilson County59.3Stanly County: 59.3 %Stanly County59.3Craven County: 58.8 %Craven County58.8Davie County: 58.8 %Davie County58.8Vance County: 58.7 %Vance County58.7Hoke County: 58.7 %Hoke County58.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Mecklenburg County71.4
2Onslow County70.4
3Wake County70
4Cabarrus County68.1
5Union County67.7
6Durham County66.6
7Currituck County65.6
8Dare County65.5
9Johnston County65.4
10Iredell County65
11Cumberland County64.6
12Guilford County64.4
13New Hanover County64
14Pitt County63.1
15Gaston County62.9
16Camden County62.3
17Orange County62
18Catawba County62
19Forsyth County62
20Lincoln County61.9
21Alamance County61.8
22Lee County61.5
22Person County61.5
24Franklin County61.3
25Wayne County61.1
26Buncombe County60.9
27Harnett County60.4
28Pasquotank County60.3
29Rowan County60.2
30Nash County60.2
31Pender County60
32Watauga County59.8
33Randolph County59.8
34Duplin County59.6
35Wilson County59.3
36Stanly County59.3
37Craven County58.8
38Davie County58.8
39Vance County58.7
40Hoke County58.7
41Davidson County58.5
42Yadkin County58.4
43Henderson County58.1
44Moore County58
45Chatham County57.9
46Granville County57.9
47Sampson County57.8
48Surry County57.8
49Gates County57.8
50Richmond County57.7
51Cleveland County57.7
52Caldwell County57.5
53Alexander County57.1
54Ashe County57.1
55Stokes County56.9
56Rockingham County56.7
57Martin County56.7
58Carteret County56.6
59Burke County56.6
60Lenoir County56.5
61Edgecombe County55.6
62McDowell County55.5
63Haywood County55.3
64Jackson County55.1
65Wilkes County55
66Swain County54.4
67Mitchell County54.3
68Madison County54.2
69Beaufort County54
70Polk County53.8
71Anson County53.7
72Yancey County53.6
73Transylvania County53.1
74Caswell County53
75Rutherford County52.8
76Chowan County52.4
77Scotland County52.4
78Jones County52.2
79Montgomery County52.1
80Greene County52
81Macon County51.6
82Perquimans County51.4
83Graham County51.1
84Robeson County51
85Hertford County50.3
86Clay County49.8
87Halifax County49.5
88Bladen County49.5
89Warren County49.3
90Alleghany County48.8
91Brunswick County48.7
92Northampton County48.6
93Columbus County48.1
94Cherokee County47.9
95Washington County46.8
96Avery County46.2
97Bertie County45.8
98Hyde County44.7
99Tyrrell County44.3
100Pamlico County44

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 counties 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 (Counties in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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, Counties in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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. Counties in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.

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, Counties in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  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: Counties in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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: Counties in North Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Mecklenburg County, with 71.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Pamlico County, with 44% 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, 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings