Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate)

Union County had the highest median household income (US single-year estimate) of 100 counties in 2015, at $71,690. Halifax County had the lowest, at $31,952. The median was $41,646 and the figure for North Carolina was $47,884. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest71,690Union County
Lowest31,952Halifax County
Median41,646100 counties
North Carolina47,884History

Map of counties, 2015

Alamance County: 41,566 USDAlexander County: 41,092 USDAlleghany County: 36,113 USDAnson County: 35,307 USDAshe County: 35,238 USDAvery County: 37,120 USDBeaufort County: 41,725 USDBertie County: 31,967 USDBladen County: 33,882 USDBrunswick County: 48,831 USDBuncombe County: 45,094 USDBurke County: 42,711 USDCabarrus County: 57,881 USDCaldwell County: 39,636 USDCamden County: 62,000 USDCarteret County: 50,837 USDCaswell County: 40,504 USDCatawba County: 41,745 USDChatham County: 58,860 USDCherokee County: 38,284 USDChowan County: 40,794 USDClay County: 38,980 USDCleveland County: 40,237 USDColumbus County: 34,478 USDCraven County: 47,805 USDCumberland County: 42,380 USDCurrituck County: 66,426 USDDare County: 53,585 USDDavidson County: 46,400 USDDavie County: 52,525 USDDuplin County: 38,397 USDDurham County: 53,875 USDEdgecombe County: 32,529 USDForsyth County: 47,346 USDFranklin County: 48,009 USDGaston County: 45,031 USDGates County: 46,387 USDGraham County: 33,827 USDGranville County: 50,314 USDGreene County: 35,060 USDGuilford County: 48,283 USDHalifax County: 31,952 USDHarnett County: 48,301 USDHaywood County: 43,573 USDHenderson County: 47,280 USDHertford County: 34,453 USDHoke County: 42,819 USDHyde County: 37,074 USDIredell County: 55,848 USDJackson County: 41,537 USDJohnston County: 52,681 USDJones County: 39,688 USDLee County: 44,294 USDLenoir County: 37,085 USDLincoln County: 49,343 USDMcDowell County: 37,430 USDMacon County: 41,395 USDMadison County: 37,899 USDMartin County: 36,543 USDMecklenburg County: 57,029 USDMitchell County: 39,955 USDMontgomery County: 39,096 USDMoore County: 52,139 USDNash County: 43,450 USDNew Hanover County: 52,456 USDNorthampton County: 33,301 USDOnslow County: 46,144 USDOrange County: 61,570 USDPamlico County: 41,004 USDPasquotank County: 42,171 USDPender County: 49,390 USDPerquimans County: 42,337 USDPerson County: 43,917 USDPitt County: 41,909 USDPolk County: 45,672 USDRandolph County: 43,216 USDRichmond County: 33,017 USDRobeson County: 32,128 USDRockingham County: 40,148 USDRowan County: 44,862 USDRutherford County: 36,998 USDSampson County: 40,660 USDScotland County: 35,447 USDStanly County: 44,878 USDStokes County: 42,889 USDSurry County: 38,408 USDSwain County: 36,103 USDTransylvania County: 45,792 USDTyrrell County: 33,759 USDUnion County: 71,690 USDVance County: 32,698 USDWake County: 70,629 USDWarren County: 34,149 USDWashington County: 35,146 USDWatauga County: 41,762 USDWayne County: 41,161 USDWilkes County: 40,647 USDWilson County: 41,276 USDYadkin County: 41,208 USDYancey County: 36,418 USD
  • Under 35K
  • 35K to 40K
  • 40K to 42K
  • 42K to 45K
  • 45K to 50K
  • 50K and over
USD, 2015. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Union County: 71,690 USDUnion County71,690Wake County: 70,629 USDWake County70,629Currituck County: 66,426 USDCurrituck County66,426Camden County: 62,000 USDCamden County62,000Orange County: 61,570 USDOrange County61,570Chatham County: 58,860 USDChatham County58,860Cabarrus County: 57,881 USDCabarrus County57,881Mecklenburg County: 57,029 USDMecklenburg County57,029Iredell County: 55,848 USDIredell County55,848Durham County: 53,875 USDDurham County53,875Dare County: 53,585 USDDare County53,585Johnston County: 52,681 USDJohnston County52,681Davie County: 52,525 USDDavie County52,525New Hanover County: 52,456 USDNew Hanover County52,456Moore County: 52,139 USDMoore County52,139Carteret County: 50,837 USDCarteret County50,837Granville County: 50,314 USDGranville County50,314Pender County: 49,390 USDPender County49,390Lincoln County: 49,343 USDLincoln County49,343Brunswick County: 48,831 USDBrunswick County48,831Harnett County: 48,301 USDHarnett County48,301Guilford County: 48,283 USDGuilford County48,283Franklin County: 48,009 USDFranklin County48,009Craven County: 47,805 USDCraven County47,805Forsyth County: 47,346 USDForsyth County47,346Henderson County: 47,280 USDHenderson County47,280Davidson County: 46,400 USDDavidson County46,400Gates County: 46,387 USDGates County46,387Onslow County: 46,144 USDOnslow County46,144Transylvania County: 45,792 USDTransylvania County45,792Polk County: 45,672 USDPolk County45,672Buncombe County: 45,094 USDBuncombe County45,094Gaston County: 45,031 USDGaston County45,031Stanly County: 44,878 USDStanly County44,878Rowan County: 44,862 USDRowan County44,862Lee County: 44,294 USDLee County44,294Person County: 43,917 USDPerson County43,917Haywood County: 43,573 USDHaywood County43,573Nash County: 43,450 USDNash County43,450Randolph County: 43,216 USDRandolph County43,216Union County: 71,690 USDUnion County71,690Wake County: 70,629 USDWake County70,629Currituck County: 66,426 USDCurrituck County66,426Camden County: 62,000 USDCamden County62,000Orange County: 61,570 USDOrange County61,570Chatham County: 58,860 USDChatham County58,860Cabarrus County: 57,881 USDCabarrus County57,881Mecklenburg County: 57,029 USDMecklenburg County57,029Iredell County: 55,848 USDIredell County55,848Durham County: 53,875 USDDurham County53,875Dare County: 53,585 USDDare County53,585Johnston County: 52,681 USDJohnston County52,681Davie County: 52,525 USDDavie County52,525New Hanover County: 52,456 USDNew Hanover County52,456Moore County: 52,139 USDMoore County52,139Carteret County: 50,837 USDCarteret County50,837Granville County: 50,314 USDGranville County50,314Pender County: 49,390 USDPender County49,390Lincoln County: 49,343 USDLincoln County49,343Brunswick County: 48,831 USDBrunswick County48,831Harnett County: 48,301 USDHarnett County48,301Guilford County: 48,283 USDGuilford County48,283Franklin County: 48,009 USDFranklin County48,009Craven County: 47,805 USDCraven County47,805Forsyth County: 47,346 USDForsyth County47,346Henderson County: 47,280 USDHenderson County47,280Davidson County: 46,400 USDDavidson County46,400Gates County: 46,387 USDGates County46,387Onslow County: 46,144 USDOnslow County46,144Transylvania County: 45,792 USDTransylvania County45,792Polk County: 45,672 USDPolk County45,672Buncombe County: 45,094 USDBuncombe County45,094Gaston County: 45,031 USDGaston County45,031Stanly County: 44,878 USDStanly County44,878Rowan County: 44,862 USDRowan County44,862Lee County: 44,294 USDLee County44,294Person County: 43,917 USDPerson County43,917Haywood County: 43,573 USDHaywood County43,573Nash County: 43,450 USDNash County43,450Randolph County: 43,216 USDRandolph County43,216
USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
USD
Change on 2014
1Union County71,690+11.4%
2Wake County70,629+5.5%
3Currituck County66,426+14.5%
4Camden County62,000+0.4%
5Orange County61,570+2.1%
6Chatham County58,860+3.6%
7Cabarrus County57,881+4.8%
8Mecklenburg County57,029-3.4%
9Iredell County55,848+3.4%
10Durham County53,875+6.2%
11Dare County53,585-1.9%
12Johnston County52,681+5.2%
13Davie County52,525+10.4%
14New Hanover County52,456+5.1%
15Moore County52,139+0.9%
16Carteret County50,837+4.1%
17Granville County50,314+2%
18Pender County49,390+8.7%
19Lincoln County49,343-0.7%
20Brunswick County48,831+3%
21Harnett County48,301+6.4%
22Guilford County48,283+7.7%
23Franklin County48,009-0.3%
24Craven County47,805+8.7%
25Forsyth County47,346+3.1%
26Henderson County47,280-0%
27Davidson County46,400+7%
28Gates County46,387-4.2%
29Onslow County46,144-2.2%
30Transylvania County45,792+2.9%
31Polk County45,672+0.5%
32Buncombe County45,094-4.7%
33Gaston County45,031+7.1%
34Stanly County44,878+7.1%
35Rowan County44,862-0.2%
36Lee County44,294-3.9%
37Person County43,917-4.2%
38Haywood County43,573+1.8%
39Nash County43,450+0.2%
40Randolph County43,216+3.5%
41Stokes County42,889-4.8%
42Hoke County42,819-3.1%
43Burke County42,711+8.7%
44Cumberland County42,380-0.5%
45Perquimans County42,337+2.4%
46Pasquotank County42,171-5.4%
47Pitt County41,909+0.3%
48Watauga County41,762-0.4%
49Catawba County41,745-7.4%
50Beaufort County41,725+3.4%
51Alamance County41,566+0.7%
52Jackson County41,537+8.9%
53Macon County41,395+9.3%
54Wilson County41,276+5.1%
55Yadkin County41,208+1%
56Wayne County41,161+11.6%
57Alexander County41,092-4.5%
58Pamlico County41,004-4.9%
59Chowan County40,794+4.9%
60Sampson County40,660+20%
61Wilkes County40,647+21.7%
62Caswell County40,504-5.2%
63Cleveland County40,237+2%
64Rockingham County40,148+1.4%
65Mitchell County39,955+8.6%
66Jones County39,688+2%
67Caldwell County39,636+2.5%
68Montgomery County39,096+1.5%
69Clay County38,980+5.1%
70Surry County38,408+1.3%
71Duplin County38,397+12.6%
72Cherokee County38,284+10.6%
73Madison County37,899-1.4%
74McDowell County37,430-1.2%
75Avery County37,120-0%
76Lenoir County37,085+3%
77Hyde County37,074+0.5%
78Rutherford County36,998+3.8%
79Martin County36,543+1.7%
80Yancey County36,418+1.2%
81Alleghany County36,113+2.4%
82Swain County36,103+3.8%
83Scotland County35,447+8.1%
84Anson County35,307+8.6%
85Ashe County35,238-3.4%
86Washington County35,146+6.9%
87Greene County35,060-5.9%
88Columbus County34,478+0.5%
89Hertford County34,453+14.6%
90Warren County34,149+0.8%
91Bladen County33,882+1.1%
92Graham County33,8270%
93Tyrrell County33,759+3%
94Northampton County33,301+3.9%
95Richmond County33,017-4.8%
96Vance County32,698-2.7%
97Edgecombe County32,529+2.9%
98Robeson County32,128+5.6%
99Bertie County31,967+2.4%
100Halifax County31,952+0.9%

Other periods

About this ranking

Household income at the middle of the distribution for one year, in US dollars of that year. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based estimate that combines the one-year American Community Survey with federal tax records and other administrative data, so every county gets a figure for a single year. The national figure is the one-year ACS estimate. Not adjusted for inflation between years. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. For the five-year ACS median, which also covers cities, use median_household_income.

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. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. 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). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties (Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate), 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by median household income (US single-year estimate), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest median household income (US single-year estimate)?

Union County, with $71,690 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest median household income (US single-year estimate)?

Halifax County, with $31,952 in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): median household income, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Median household income (US single-year estimate): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings