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 2023, at 71.8%. Hyde County had the lowest, at 41.2%. The median was 57.2% and the figure for North Carolina was 62.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest71.8Mecklenburg County
Lowest41.2Hyde County
Median57.2100 counties
North Carolina62.7History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 63.1 %Alexander County: 55.9 %Alleghany County: 47.8 %Anson County: 50.3 %Ashe County: 51.6 %Avery County: 46.2 %Beaufort County: 55.3 %Bertie County: 43.3 %Bladen County: 49.1 %Brunswick County: 48.9 %Buncombe County: 59.7 %Burke County: 57 %Cabarrus County: 68.1 %Caldwell County: 58.3 %Camden County: 65.5 %Carteret County: 55.6 %Caswell County: 51.8 %Catawba County: 61.3 %Chatham County: 57.9 %Cherokee County: 49.9 %Chowan County: 56.9 %Clay County: 43.9 %Cleveland County: 58.7 %Columbus County: 49.8 %Craven County: 58.9 %Cumberland County: 64.9 %Currituck County: 66.7 %Dare County: 64.1 %Davidson County: 59 %Davie County: 59 %Duplin County: 59.6 %Durham County: 67.5 %Edgecombe County: 57.6 %Forsyth County: 62 %Franklin County: 62.3 %Gaston County: 62.6 %Gates County: 56.2 %Graham County: 53 %Granville County: 55.7 %Greene County: 50.4 %Guilford County: 64.2 %Halifax County: 50.5 %Harnett County: 59.8 %Haywood County: 55.5 %Henderson County: 57.2 %Hertford County: 51.9 %Hoke County: 58.8 %Hyde County: 41.2 %Iredell County: 65.4 %Jackson County: 56.6 %Johnston County: 65.9 %Jones County: 52.1 %Lee County: 60.6 %Lenoir County: 55.6 %Lincoln County: 61.8 %McDowell County: 53.2 %Macon County: 53.3 %Madison County: 55.2 %Martin County: 55.8 %Mecklenburg County: 71.8 %Mitchell County: 56.2 %Montgomery County: 53.1 %Moore County: 57.3 %Nash County: 59.4 %New Hanover County: 65 %Northampton County: 50.6 %Onslow County: 70.2 %Orange County: 62 %Pamlico County: 43.8 %Pasquotank County: 59.3 %Pender County: 60.9 %Perquimans County: 48.4 %Person County: 61.5 %Pitt County: 63.2 %Polk County: 53.6 %Randolph County: 60.3 %Richmond County: 57.6 %Robeson County: 50.7 %Rockingham County: 57.3 %Rowan County: 60.3 %Rutherford County: 53.9 %Sampson County: 56.7 %Scotland County: 53.4 %Stanly County: 57.9 %Stokes County: 55.8 %Surry County: 57.9 %Swain County: 55.8 %Transylvania County: 52 %Tyrrell County: 43.5 %Union County: 67.6 %Vance County: 58.6 %Wake County: 69.9 %Warren County: 49.9 %Washington County: 48.7 %Watauga County: 60 %Wayne County: 60.7 %Wilkes County: 55.9 %Wilson County: 57.2 %Yadkin County: 58.8 %Yancey County: 52 %
  • Under 51
  • 51 to 55
  • 55 to 57
  • 57 to 59
  • 59 to 62
  • 62 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Mecklenburg County: 71.8 %Mecklenburg County71.8Onslow County: 70.2 %Onslow County70.2Wake County: 69.9 %Wake County69.9Cabarrus County: 68.1 %Cabarrus County68.1Union County: 67.6 %Union County67.6Durham County: 67.5 %Durham County67.5Currituck County: 66.7 %Currituck County66.7Johnston County: 65.9 %Johnston County65.9Camden County: 65.5 %Camden County65.5Iredell County: 65.4 %Iredell County65.4New Hanover County: 65 %New Hanover County65Cumberland County: 64.9 %Cumberland County64.9Guilford County: 64.2 %Guilford County64.2Dare County: 64.1 %Dare County64.1Pitt County: 63.2 %Pitt County63.2Alamance County: 63.1 %Alamance County63.1Gaston County: 62.6 %Gaston County62.6Franklin County: 62.3 %Franklin County62.3Forsyth County: 62 %Forsyth County62Orange County: 62 %Orange County62Lincoln County: 61.8 %Lincoln County61.8Person County: 61.5 %Person County61.5Catawba County: 61.3 %Catawba County61.3Pender County: 60.9 %Pender County60.9Wayne County: 60.7 %Wayne County60.7Lee County: 60.6 %Lee County60.6Rowan County: 60.3 %Rowan County60.3Randolph County: 60.3 %Randolph County60.3Watauga County: 60 %Watauga County60Harnett County: 59.8 %Harnett County59.8Buncombe County: 59.7 %Buncombe County59.7Duplin County: 59.6 %Duplin County59.6Nash County: 59.4 %Nash County59.4Pasquotank County: 59.3 %Pasquotank County59.3Davidson County: 59 %Davidson County59Davie County: 59 %Davie County59Craven County: 58.9 %Craven County58.9Yadkin County: 58.8 %Yadkin County58.8Hoke County: 58.8 %Hoke County58.8Cleveland County: 58.7 %Cleveland County58.7Mecklenburg County: 71.8 %Mecklenburg County71.8Onslow County: 70.2 %Onslow County70.2Wake County: 69.9 %Wake County69.9Cabarrus County: 68.1 %Cabarrus County68.1Union County: 67.6 %Union County67.6Durham County: 67.5 %Durham County67.5Currituck County: 66.7 %Currituck County66.7Johnston County: 65.9 %Johnston County65.9Camden County: 65.5 %Camden County65.5Iredell County: 65.4 %Iredell County65.4New Hanover County: 65 %New Hanover County65Cumberland County: 64.9 %Cumberland County64.9Guilford County: 64.2 %Guilford County64.2Dare County: 64.1 %Dare County64.1Pitt County: 63.2 %Pitt County63.2Alamance County: 63.1 %Alamance County63.1Gaston County: 62.6 %Gaston County62.6Franklin County: 62.3 %Franklin County62.3Forsyth County: 62 %Forsyth County62Orange County: 62 %Orange County62Lincoln County: 61.8 %Lincoln County61.8Person County: 61.5 %Person County61.5Catawba County: 61.3 %Catawba County61.3Pender County: 60.9 %Pender County60.9Wayne County: 60.7 %Wayne County60.7Lee County: 60.6 %Lee County60.6Rowan County: 60.3 %Rowan County60.3Randolph County: 60.3 %Randolph County60.3Watauga County: 60 %Watauga County60Harnett County: 59.8 %Harnett County59.8Buncombe County: 59.7 %Buncombe County59.7Duplin County: 59.6 %Duplin County59.6Nash County: 59.4 %Nash County59.4Pasquotank County: 59.3 %Pasquotank County59.3Davidson County: 59 %Davidson County59Davie County: 59 %Davie County59Craven County: 58.9 %Craven County58.9Yadkin County: 58.8 %Yadkin County58.8Hoke County: 58.8 %Hoke County58.8Cleveland County: 58.7 %Cleveland County58.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Mecklenburg County71.8+0.3 pts
2Onslow County70.2+0.2 pts
3Wake County69.90 pts
4Cabarrus County68.1+0.3 pts
5Union County67.6-0.1 pts
6Durham County67.50 pts
7Currituck County66.7+1.4 pts
8Johnston County65.9-0.1 pts
9Camden County65.5+2.6 pts
10Iredell County65.4+0.5 pts
11New Hanover County65+0.4 pts
12Cumberland County64.9+0.5 pts
13Guilford County64.2+0.1 pts
14Dare County64.1-1 pts
15Pitt County63.20 pts
16Alamance County63.1+0.4 pts
17Gaston County62.6+0.1 pts
18Franklin County62.3+0.4 pts
19Forsyth County62+0.3 pts
20Orange County62+0.1 pts
21Lincoln County61.8-0.3 pts
22Person County61.5+0.9 pts
23Catawba County61.3-0 pts
24Pender County60.9+0.4 pts
25Wayne County60.7-0.1 pts
26Lee County60.6+0.1 pts
27Rowan County60.30 pts
28Randolph County60.3+0.2 pts
29Watauga County60+0.2 pts
30Harnett County59.8+0.2 pts
31Buncombe County59.7-0.8 pts
32Duplin County59.6+0.8 pts
33Nash County59.4-0.8 pts
34Pasquotank County59.3-1 pts
35Davidson County59+0.3 pts
35Davie County59+0.1 pts
37Craven County58.9+0.4 pts
38Yadkin County58.8+0.2 pts
39Hoke County58.8+0.5 pts
40Cleveland County58.7+0.8 pts
41Vance County58.6+0.6 pts
42Caldwell County58.3+0.2 pts
43Stanly County57.9-1.4 pts
44Chatham County57.9+0.7 pts
45Surry County57.9+0.4 pts
46Edgecombe County57.6+1 pts
47Richmond County57.6-0.4 pts
48Rockingham County57.3+1.4 pts
49Moore County57.3-0.7 pts
50Henderson County57.2-0.8 pts
51Wilson County57.2-1.6 pts
52Burke County57-0.1 pts
53Chowan County56.9+2.7 pts
54Sampson County56.7-0 pts
55Jackson County56.6+0.4 pts
56Mitchell County56.2+1.1 pts
57Gates County56.2-2.4 pts
58Wilkes County55.9-0.1 pts
59Alexander County55.9-2.2 pts
60Swain County55.8+0.6 pts
61Stokes County55.8+0.3 pts
62Martin County55.8-0.1 pts
63Granville County55.7-0.3 pts
64Lenoir County55.6+0.2 pts
65Carteret County55.6+0.2 pts
66Haywood County55.50 pts
67Beaufort County55.3-0.1 pts
68Madison County55.2+0.7 pts
69Rutherford County53.9+0.6 pts
70Polk County53.6+0.3 pts
71Scotland County53.4+1 pts
72Macon County53.3+1.3 pts
73McDowell County53.2-0.7 pts
74Montgomery County53.1-1 pts
75Graham County53+1.5 pts
76Jones County52.1-0.1 pts
77Transylvania County52+0.1 pts
78Yancey County52-1.8 pts
79Hertford County51.9+0.4 pts
80Caswell County51.8-1.4 pts
81Ashe County51.6-2.4 pts
82Robeson County50.7-0.3 pts
83Northampton County50.6+0.5 pts
84Halifax County50.5-0.2 pts
85Greene County50.4-0.2 pts
86Anson County50.3-0.6 pts
87Warren County49.9+0.7 pts
88Cherokee County49.9+1.5 pts
89Columbus County49.8+1.7 pts
90Bladen County49.1+1.4 pts
91Brunswick County48.9-0 pts
92Washington County48.7-0.6 pts
93Perquimans County48.4-1 pts
94Alleghany County47.8-1.6 pts
95Avery County46.2+0.9 pts
96Clay County43.9-3 pts
97Pamlico County43.8+0.3 pts
98Tyrrell County43.5+0.2 pts
99Bertie County43.3-1.1 pts
100Hyde County41.2+0.5 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 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 71.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Hyde County, with 41.2% 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, 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