Counties in North Carolina by personal income

Mecklenburg County had the highest personal income of 100 counties in 2018, at $66.08 billion. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at $121.28 million. The median was $2 billion and the figure for North Carolina was $473.19 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest66,081.1Mecklenburg County
Lowest121.3Tyrrell County
Median2,002.1100 counties
North Carolina473,186.5History

Map of counties, 2018

Alamance County: 6,562.2 USD millionAlexander County: 1,352 USD millionAlleghany County: 407.5 USD millionAnson County: 852.4 USD millionAshe County: 941.7 USD millionAvery County: 619.7 USD millionBeaufort County: 1,944.4 USD millionBertie County: 668.1 USD millionBladen County: 1,118.5 USD millionBrunswick County: 6,053 USD millionBuncombe County: 12,585.9 USD millionBurke County: 3,122.2 USD millionCabarrus County: 9,561.2 USD millionCaldwell County: 2,853.9 USD millionCamden County: 469.1 USD millionCarteret County: 3,380.5 USD millionCaswell County: 778.1 USD millionCatawba County: 7,011 USD millionChatham County: 4,560.1 USD millionCherokee County: 909.4 USD millionChowan County: 562.4 USD millionClay County: 368.3 USD millionCleveland County: 3,582.5 USD millionColumbus County: 1,765.7 USD millionCraven County: 4,437.3 USD millionCumberland County: 12,570.9 USD millionCurrituck County: 1,225.8 USD millionDare County: 1,985.8 USD millionDavidson County: 6,470.4 USD millionDavie County: 2,018.4 USD millionDuplin County: 1,942.2 USD millionDurham County: 15,667.5 USD millionEdgecombe County: 1,781.3 USD millionForsyth County: 17,671.7 USD millionFranklin County: 2,424.6 USD millionGaston County: 8,823.3 USD millionGates County: 422.4 USD millionGraham County: 278.5 USD millionGranville County: 2,277.6 USD millionGreene County: 635.5 USD millionGuilford County: 23,963.5 USD millionHalifax County: 1,783.6 USD millionHarnett County: 4,588.3 USD millionHaywood County: 2,447.1 USD millionHenderson County: 5,036.9 USD millionHertford County: 740.8 USD millionHoke County: 1,704.7 USD millionHyde County: 179.1 USD millionIredell County: 9,075.4 USD millionJackson County: 1,440.8 USD millionJohnston County: 8,103.1 USD millionJones County: 359.3 USD millionLee County: 2,480.5 USD millionLenoir County: 2,189 USD millionLincoln County: 3,822.9 USD millionMcDowell County: 1,547.1 USD millionMacon County: 1,378.9 USD millionMadison County: 730.2 USD millionMartin County: 759.6 USD millionMecklenburg County: 66,081.1 USD millionMitchell County: 536.2 USD millionMontgomery County: 956.7 USD millionMoore County: 4,958.6 USD millionNash County: 3,884.1 USD millionNew Hanover County: 10,636.9 USD millionNorthampton County: 657.1 USD millionOnslow County: 8,604.4 USD millionOrange County: 9,134.4 USD millionPamlico County: 517.6 USD millionPasquotank County: 1,494 USD millionPender County: 2,311 USD millionPerquimans County: 525.1 USD millionPerson County: 1,469.3 USD millionPitt County: 7,331.6 USD millionPolk County: 914.7 USD millionRandolph County: 5,319.1 USD millionRichmond County: 1,526.7 USD millionRobeson County: 3,782.8 USD millionRockingham County: 3,302.2 USD millionRowan County: 5,374.6 USD millionRutherford County: 2,133.8 USD millionSampson County: 2,121.1 USD millionScotland County: 1,118.5 USD millionStanly County: 2,383.4 USD millionStokes County: 1,690.3 USD millionSurry County: 2,712.7 USD millionSwain County: 546.6 USD millionTransylvania County: 1,395.3 USD millionTyrrell County: 121.3 USD millionUnion County: 12,334.5 USD millionVance County: 1,493.6 USD millionWake County: 65,359 USD millionWarren County: 578.2 USD millionWashington County: 406.1 USD millionWatauga County: 2,045.6 USD millionWayne County: 4,648.9 USD millionWilkes County: 2,486.5 USD millionWilson County: 3,164.2 USD millionYadkin County: 1,390.5 USD millionYancey County: 651.5 USD million
  • Under 600
  • 600 to 1,400
  • 1,400 to 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,300
  • 3,300 to 6,800
  • 6,800 and over
USD million, 2018. Source: BEA, CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Mecklenburg County: 66,081.1 USD millionMecklenburg County66,081.1Wake County: 65,359 USD millionWake County65,359Guilford County: 23,963.5 USD millionGuilford County23,963.5Forsyth County: 17,671.7 USD millionForsyth County17,671.7Durham County: 15,667.5 USD millionDurham County15,667.5Buncombe County: 12,585.9 USD millionBuncombe County12,585.9Cumberland County: 12,570.9 USD millionCumberland County12,570.9Union County: 12,334.5 USD millionUnion County12,334.5New Hanover County: 10,636.9 USD millionNew Hanover County10,636.9Cabarrus County: 9,561.2 USD millionCabarrus County9,561.2Orange County: 9,134.4 USD millionOrange County9,134.4Iredell County: 9,075.4 USD millionIredell County9,075.4Gaston County: 8,823.3 USD millionGaston County8,823.3Onslow County: 8,604.4 USD millionOnslow County8,604.4Johnston County: 8,103.1 USD millionJohnston County8,103.1Pitt County: 7,331.6 USD millionPitt County7,331.6Catawba County: 7,011 USD millionCatawba County7,011Alamance County: 6,562.2 USD millionAlamance County6,562.2Davidson County: 6,470.4 USD millionDavidson County6,470.4Brunswick County: 6,053 USD millionBrunswick County6,053Rowan County: 5,374.6 USD millionRowan County5,374.6Randolph County: 5,319.1 USD millionRandolph County5,319.1Henderson County: 5,036.9 USD millionHenderson County5,036.9Moore County: 4,958.6 USD millionMoore County4,958.6Wayne County: 4,648.9 USD millionWayne County4,648.9Harnett County: 4,588.3 USD millionHarnett County4,588.3Chatham County: 4,560.1 USD millionChatham County4,560.1Craven County: 4,437.3 USD millionCraven County4,437.3Nash County: 3,884.1 USD millionNash County3,884.1Lincoln County: 3,822.9 USD millionLincoln County3,822.9Robeson County: 3,782.8 USD millionRobeson County3,782.8Cleveland County: 3,582.5 USD millionCleveland County3,582.5Carteret County: 3,380.5 USD millionCarteret County3,380.5Rockingham County: 3,302.2 USD millionRockingham County3,302.2Wilson County: 3,164.2 USD millionWilson County3,164.2Burke County: 3,122.2 USD millionBurke County3,122.2Caldwell County: 2,853.9 USD millionCaldwell County2,853.9Surry County: 2,712.7 USD millionSurry County2,712.7Wilkes County: 2,486.5 USD millionWilkes County2,486.5Lee County: 2,480.5 USD millionLee County2,480.5Mecklenburg County: 66,081.1 USD millionMecklenburg County66,081.1Wake County: 65,359 USD millionWake County65,359Guilford County: 23,963.5 USD millionGuilford County23,963.5Forsyth County: 17,671.7 USD millionForsyth County17,671.7Durham County: 15,667.5 USD millionDurham County15,667.5Buncombe County: 12,585.9 USD millionBuncombe County12,585.9Cumberland County: 12,570.9 USD millionCumberland County12,570.9Union County: 12,334.5 USD millionUnion County12,334.5New Hanover County: 10,636.9 USD millionNew Hanover County10,636.9Cabarrus County: 9,561.2 USD millionCabarrus County9,561.2Orange County: 9,134.4 USD millionOrange County9,134.4Iredell County: 9,075.4 USD millionIredell County9,075.4Gaston County: 8,823.3 USD millionGaston County8,823.3Onslow County: 8,604.4 USD millionOnslow County8,604.4Johnston County: 8,103.1 USD millionJohnston County8,103.1Pitt County: 7,331.6 USD millionPitt County7,331.6Catawba County: 7,011 USD millionCatawba County7,011Alamance County: 6,562.2 USD millionAlamance County6,562.2Davidson County: 6,470.4 USD millionDavidson County6,470.4Brunswick County: 6,053 USD millionBrunswick County6,053Rowan County: 5,374.6 USD millionRowan County5,374.6Randolph County: 5,319.1 USD millionRandolph County5,319.1Henderson County: 5,036.9 USD millionHenderson County5,036.9Moore County: 4,958.6 USD millionMoore County4,958.6Wayne County: 4,648.9 USD millionWayne County4,648.9Harnett County: 4,588.3 USD millionHarnett County4,588.3Chatham County: 4,560.1 USD millionChatham County4,560.1Craven County: 4,437.3 USD millionCraven County4,437.3Nash County: 3,884.1 USD millionNash County3,884.1Lincoln County: 3,822.9 USD millionLincoln County3,822.9Robeson County: 3,782.8 USD millionRobeson County3,782.8Cleveland County: 3,582.5 USD millionCleveland County3,582.5Carteret County: 3,380.5 USD millionCarteret County3,380.5Rockingham County: 3,302.2 USD millionRockingham County3,302.2Wilson County: 3,164.2 USD millionWilson County3,164.2Burke County: 3,122.2 USD millionBurke County3,122.2Caldwell County: 2,853.9 USD millionCaldwell County2,853.9Surry County: 2,712.7 USD millionSurry County2,712.7Wilkes County: 2,486.5 USD millionWilkes County2,486.5Lee County: 2,480.5 USD millionLee County2,480.5
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018
USD million
Change on 2017
1Mecklenburg County66,081.1+5.8%
2Wake County65,359+9.1%
3Guilford County23,963.5+4.3%
4Forsyth County17,671.7+1.6%
5Durham County15,667.5+6.8%
6Buncombe County12,585.9+6.6%
7Cumberland County12,570.9+4.2%
8Union County12,334.5+6.5%
9New Hanover County10,636.9+7.8%
10Cabarrus County9,561.2+5.5%
11Orange County9,134.4+2.1%
12Iredell County9,075.4+7%
13Gaston County8,823.3+2.5%
14Onslow County8,604.4+4.5%
15Johnston County8,103.1+6.8%
16Pitt County7,331.6+5.5%
17Catawba County7,011+3.8%
18Alamance County6,562.2+5.8%
19Davidson County6,470.4+3.9%
20Brunswick County6,053+8.7%
21Rowan County5,374.6+5.4%
22Randolph County5,319.1+4.4%
23Henderson County5,036.9+6%
24Moore County4,958.6+4.6%
25Wayne County4,648.9+2.9%
26Harnett County4,588.3+4.7%
27Chatham County4,560.1+7.5%
28Craven County4,437.3+3.9%
29Nash County3,884.1+4.5%
30Lincoln County3,822.9+6.3%
31Robeson County3,782.8+2.9%
32Cleveland County3,582.5+3.3%
33Carteret County3,380.5+4.1%
34Rockingham County3,302.2+2.7%
35Wilson County3,164.2+3%
36Burke County3,122.2+3.2%
37Caldwell County2,853.9+3.3%
38Surry County2,712.7+3.1%
39Wilkes County2,486.5+1.4%
40Lee County2,480.5+6.7%
41Haywood County2,447.1+3.8%
42Franklin County2,424.6+6.9%
43Stanly County2,383.4+3.9%
44Pender County2,311+5.2%
45Granville County2,277.6+3.8%
46Lenoir County2,189+0.4%
47Rutherford County2,133.8+3.6%
48Sampson County2,121.1-3.3%
49Watauga County2,045.6+6.7%
50Davie County2,018.4+3.4%
51Dare County1,985.8+3.9%
52Beaufort County1,944.4+2%
53Duplin County1,942.2-3.6%
54Halifax County1,783.6+1.1%
55Edgecombe County1,781.3+1.8%
56Columbus County1,765.7+2.3%
57Hoke County1,704.7+5.7%
58Stokes County1,690.3+3.9%
59McDowell County1,547.1+3.6%
60Richmond County1,526.7+1.6%
61Pasquotank County1,494+0.1%
62Vance County1,493.6+2.7%
63Person County1,469.3+2.9%
64Jackson County1,440.8+4.4%
65Transylvania County1,395.3+4.4%
66Yadkin County1,390.5+2%
67Macon County1,378.9+4%
68Alexander County1,352+2.9%
69Currituck County1,225.8+4.7%
70Bladen County1,118.5-2.1%
71Scotland County1,118.5+2.5%
72Montgomery County956.7+3.1%
73Ashe County941.7+5%
74Polk County914.7+2.4%
75Cherokee County909.4+5.1%
76Anson County852.4+0.5%
77Caswell County778.1+2.5%
78Martin County759.6+1.8%
79Hertford County740.8+0.7%
80Madison County730.2+4.5%
81Bertie County668.1-1.6%
82Northampton County657.1+0.2%
83Yancey County651.5+9%
84Greene County635.5+0.4%
85Avery County619.7+4.1%
86Warren County578.2+2.6%
87Chowan County562.4+3.1%
88Swain County546.6+0.3%
89Mitchell County536.2+3.2%
90Perquimans County525.1-1.9%
91Pamlico County517.6-0.6%
92Camden County469.1+1.4%
93Gates County422.4-1.3%
94Alleghany County407.5+5.2%
95Washington County406.1+0.1%
96Clay County368.3+4.8%
97Jones County359.3-5.4%
98Graham County278.5+3.1%
99Hyde County179.1-4.7%
100Tyrrell County121.3-7.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total income received by the residents of a place from work, own businesses, property and government benefits, before income taxes, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC1 line 1 for the nation and states and CAINC1 line 1 for counties.

Counted where people live, not where they work. The national figure is the total of the states, which differs slightly from personal income in the national accounts. Divided by BEA population it gives per_capita_personal_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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. 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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in North Carolina by personal income, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip

MLA 9

CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in North Carolina by personal income, 2018. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in North Carolina by personal income, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in North Carolina by personal income, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in North Carolina by personal income, 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in North Carolina by personal income, 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest personal income?

Mecklenburg County, with $66.08 billion in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest personal income?

Tyrrell County, with $121.28 million in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, personal income (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Personal income: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings