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

Wake County had the highest median household income (US single-year estimate) of 100 counties in 2023, at $103,084. Robeson County had the lowest, at $42,180. The median was $60,263 and the figure for North Carolina was $70,838. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest103,084Wake County
Lowest42,180Robeson County
Median60,263100 counties
North Carolina70,838History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 66,395 USDAlexander County: 62,976 USDAlleghany County: 46,571 USDAnson County: 50,503 USDAshe County: 54,589 USDAvery County: 55,922 USDBeaufort County: 55,960 USDBertie County: 44,371 USDBladen County: 49,661 USDBrunswick County: 76,797 USDBuncombe County: 71,218 USDBurke County: 55,616 USDCabarrus County: 85,540 USDCaldwell County: 56,239 USDCamden County: 84,656 USDCarteret County: 76,397 USDCaswell County: 57,865 USDCatawba County: 65,898 USDChatham County: 95,716 USDCherokee County: 53,926 USDChowan County: 60,808 USDClay County: 53,229 USDCleveland County: 61,411 USDColumbus County: 50,837 USDCraven County: 61,761 USDCumberland County: 61,511 USDCurrituck County: 86,047 USDDare County: 79,646 USDDavidson County: 63,551 USDDavie County: 76,153 USDDuplin County: 52,947 USDDurham County: 81,413 USDEdgecombe County: 49,972 USDForsyth County: 65,556 USDFranklin County: 70,898 USDGaston County: 67,076 USDGates County: 64,047 USDGraham County: 51,841 USDGranville County: 72,896 USDGreene County: 52,145 USDGuilford County: 65,890 USDHalifax County: 48,520 USDHarnett County: 70,074 USDHaywood County: 64,553 USDHenderson County: 63,765 USDHertford County: 48,964 USDHoke County: 60,257 USDHyde County: 49,781 USDIredell County: 84,335 USDJackson County: 55,462 USDJohnston County: 79,666 USDJones County: 53,001 USDLee County: 62,680 USDLenoir County: 51,601 USDLincoln County: 79,109 USDMcDowell County: 53,697 USDMacon County: 58,765 USDMadison County: 59,505 USDMartin County: 49,033 USDMecklenburg County: 84,796 USDMitchell County: 56,746 USDMontgomery County: 55,005 USDMoore County: 78,955 USDNash County: 65,457 USDNew Hanover County: 79,106 USDNorthampton County: 44,182 USDOnslow County: 66,982 USDOrange County: 86,736 USDPamlico County: 61,996 USDPasquotank County: 59,463 USDPender County: 72,161 USDPerquimans County: 61,157 USDPerson County: 64,466 USDPitt County: 60,268 USDPolk County: 59,012 USDRandolph County: 59,336 USDRichmond County: 50,242 USDRobeson County: 42,180 USDRockingham County: 58,508 USDRowan County: 65,139 USDRutherford County: 50,714 USDSampson County: 53,637 USDScotland County: 45,604 USDStanly County: 65,784 USDStokes County: 61,374 USDSurry County: 58,211 USDSwain County: 54,357 USDTransylvania County: 62,002 USDTyrrell County: 46,072 USDUnion County: 98,776 USDVance County: 45,408 USDWake County: 103,084 USDWarren County: 47,866 USDWashington County: 47,239 USDWatauga County: 62,045 USDWayne County: 56,313 USDWilkes County: 50,848 USDWilson County: 52,620 USDYadkin County: 61,626 USDYancey County: 54,913 USD
  • Under 51K
  • 51K to 55K
  • 55K to 60K
  • 60K to 64K
  • 64K to 76K
  • 76K and over
USD, 2023. 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, 2023

Wake County: 103,084 USDWake County103,084Union County: 98,776 USDUnion County98,776Chatham County: 95,716 USDChatham County95,716Orange County: 86,736 USDOrange County86,736Currituck County: 86,047 USDCurrituck County86,047Cabarrus County: 85,540 USDCabarrus County85,540Mecklenburg County: 84,796 USDMecklenburg County84,796Camden County: 84,656 USDCamden County84,656Iredell County: 84,335 USDIredell County84,335Durham County: 81,413 USDDurham County81,413Johnston County: 79,666 USDJohnston County79,666Dare County: 79,646 USDDare County79,646Lincoln County: 79,109 USDLincoln County79,109New Hanover County: 79,106 USDNew Hanover County79,106Moore County: 78,955 USDMoore County78,955Brunswick County: 76,797 USDBrunswick County76,797Carteret County: 76,397 USDCarteret County76,397Davie County: 76,153 USDDavie County76,153Granville County: 72,896 USDGranville County72,896Pender County: 72,161 USDPender County72,161Buncombe County: 71,218 USDBuncombe County71,218Franklin County: 70,898 USDFranklin County70,898Harnett County: 70,074 USDHarnett County70,074Gaston County: 67,076 USDGaston County67,076Onslow County: 66,982 USDOnslow County66,982Alamance County: 66,395 USDAlamance County66,395Catawba County: 65,898 USDCatawba County65,898Guilford County: 65,890 USDGuilford County65,890Stanly County: 65,784 USDStanly County65,784Forsyth County: 65,556 USDForsyth County65,556Nash County: 65,457 USDNash County65,457Rowan County: 65,139 USDRowan County65,139Haywood County: 64,553 USDHaywood County64,553Person County: 64,466 USDPerson County64,466Gates County: 64,047 USDGates County64,047Henderson County: 63,765 USDHenderson County63,765Davidson County: 63,551 USDDavidson County63,551Alexander County: 62,976 USDAlexander County62,976Lee County: 62,680 USDLee County62,680Watauga County: 62,045 USDWatauga County62,045Wake County: 103,084 USDWake County103,084Union County: 98,776 USDUnion County98,776Chatham County: 95,716 USDChatham County95,716Orange County: 86,736 USDOrange County86,736Currituck County: 86,047 USDCurrituck County86,047Cabarrus County: 85,540 USDCabarrus County85,540Mecklenburg County: 84,796 USDMecklenburg County84,796Camden County: 84,656 USDCamden County84,656Iredell County: 84,335 USDIredell County84,335Durham County: 81,413 USDDurham County81,413Johnston County: 79,666 USDJohnston County79,666Dare County: 79,646 USDDare County79,646Lincoln County: 79,109 USDLincoln County79,109New Hanover County: 79,106 USDNew Hanover County79,106Moore County: 78,955 USDMoore County78,955Brunswick County: 76,797 USDBrunswick County76,797Carteret County: 76,397 USDCarteret County76,397Davie County: 76,153 USDDavie County76,153Granville County: 72,896 USDGranville County72,896Pender County: 72,161 USDPender County72,161Buncombe County: 71,218 USDBuncombe County71,218Franklin County: 70,898 USDFranklin County70,898Harnett County: 70,074 USDHarnett County70,074Gaston County: 67,076 USDGaston County67,076Onslow County: 66,982 USDOnslow County66,982Alamance County: 66,395 USDAlamance County66,395Catawba County: 65,898 USDCatawba County65,898Guilford County: 65,890 USDGuilford County65,890Stanly County: 65,784 USDStanly County65,784Forsyth County: 65,556 USDForsyth County65,556Nash County: 65,457 USDNash County65,457Rowan County: 65,139 USDRowan County65,139Haywood County: 64,553 USDHaywood County64,553Person County: 64,466 USDPerson County64,466Gates County: 64,047 USDGates County64,047Henderson County: 63,765 USDHenderson County63,765Davidson County: 63,551 USDDavidson County63,551Alexander County: 62,976 USDAlexander County62,976Lee County: 62,680 USDLee County62,680Watauga County: 62,045 USDWatauga County62,045
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

RankCounties2023
USD
Change on 2022
1Wake County103,084+6.2%
2Union County98,776+3.9%
3Chatham County95,716+13.3%
4Orange County86,736-1.2%
5Currituck County86,047+12.9%
6Cabarrus County85,540+7.4%
7Mecklenburg County84,796+5.1%
8Camden County84,656+2.5%
9Iredell County84,335+14.8%
10Durham County81,413+2.4%
11Johnston County79,666-1.2%
12Dare County79,646-2.9%
13Lincoln County79,109+0.6%
14New Hanover County79,106+11.4%
15Moore County78,955-6.5%
16Brunswick County76,797+4.4%
17Carteret County76,397+12.7%
18Davie County76,153+20%
19Granville County72,896-1.7%
20Pender County72,161-2%
21Buncombe County71,218+4.9%
22Franklin County70,898-2.1%
23Harnett County70,074+7.4%
24Gaston County67,076+2.5%
25Onslow County66,982+7.7%
26Alamance County66,395+8.8%
27Catawba County65,898+3.1%
28Guilford County65,890+3.2%
29Stanly County65,784+12.2%
30Forsyth County65,556+4.1%
31Nash County65,457+18.1%
32Rowan County65,139+6.6%
33Haywood County64,553+3.5%
34Person County64,466+5.2%
35Gates County64,047-3.8%
36Henderson County63,765-2.3%
37Davidson County63,551-0.1%
38Alexander County62,976-7%
39Lee County62,680+7.6%
40Watauga County62,045+7.2%
41Transylvania County62,002-0.3%
42Pamlico County61,996+3.6%
43Craven County61,761-2.1%
44Yadkin County61,626+0.3%
45Cumberland County61,511+6%
46Cleveland County61,411+15.5%
47Stokes County61,374+9.1%
48Perquimans County61,157+0.8%
49Chowan County60,808+8.9%
50Pitt County60,268+5.1%
51Hoke County60,257-1.1%
52Madison County59,505+9.9%
53Pasquotank County59,463+0.7%
54Randolph County59,336+2.2%
55Polk County59,012-4.2%
56Macon County58,765+9.2%
57Rockingham County58,508+11.5%
58Surry County58,211+17.5%
59Caswell County57,865+6.7%
60Mitchell County56,746+6%
61Wayne County56,313+1.2%
62Caldwell County56,239+5%
63Beaufort County55,960+2.8%
64Avery County55,922+3.8%
65Burke County55,616-8.3%
66Jackson County55,462-5.2%
67Montgomery County55,005-0.6%
68Yancey County54,913+0.8%
69Ashe County54,589+0.4%
70Swain County54,357-2%
71Cherokee County53,926+4.5%
72McDowell County53,697-0.6%
73Sampson County53,637+2.7%
74Clay County53,229-7.7%
75Jones County53,001-5.5%
76Duplin County52,947+3.3%
77Wilson County52,620+2.1%
78Greene County52,145+4.3%
79Graham County51,841+3.1%
80Lenoir County51,601+11.2%
81Wilkes County50,848+5.4%
82Columbus County50,837+12%
83Rutherford County50,714-5.2%
84Anson County50,503+4.6%
85Richmond County50,242+13.2%
86Edgecombe County49,972+2.5%
87Hyde County49,781+3.6%
88Bladen County49,661+8%
89Martin County49,033+10.3%
90Hertford County48,964+11.6%
91Halifax County48,520+8.3%
92Warren County47,866+1.5%
93Washington County47,239+2.5%
94Alleghany County46,571-6%
95Tyrrell County46,072+8.4%
96Scotland County45,604-0.9%
97Vance County45,408-9.1%
98Bertie County44,371-0.1%
99Northampton County44,182-14.3%
100Robeson County42,180+5.6%

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/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-household-income-single-year-us/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Wake County, with $103,084 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Robeson County, with $42,180 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, 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