Counties in North Carolina by personal income

Mecklenburg County had the highest personal income of 100 counties in 2019, at $70.36 billion. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at $127.92 million. The median was $2.15 billion and the figure for North Carolina was $501.72 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest70,362.8Mecklenburg County
Lowest127.9Tyrrell County
Median2,154.9100 counties
North Carolina501,722.2History

Map of counties, 2019

Alamance County: 6,985.5 USD millionAlexander County: 1,426.1 USD millionAlleghany County: 428.5 USD millionAnson County: 883.2 USD millionAshe County: 999.4 USD millionAvery County: 643.7 USD millionBeaufort County: 2,068.8 USD millionBertie County: 706.6 USD millionBladen County: 1,168.4 USD millionBrunswick County: 6,597.6 USD millionBuncombe County: 13,506.9 USD millionBurke County: 3,296.7 USD millionCabarrus County: 10,209.2 USD millionCaldwell County: 2,998.8 USD millionCamden County: 502.2 USD millionCarteret County: 3,591.8 USD millionCaswell County: 820.9 USD millionCatawba County: 7,326 USD millionChatham County: 4,959.7 USD millionCherokee County: 972.4 USD millionChowan County: 584 USD millionClay County: 402.8 USD millionCleveland County: 3,769.8 USD millionColumbus County: 1,859.3 USD millionCraven County: 4,673.7 USD millionCumberland County: 13,112 USD millionCurrituck County: 1,344.4 USD millionDare County: 2,184 USD millionDavidson County: 6,859.2 USD millionDavie County: 2,135 USD millionDuplin County: 2,042.2 USD millionDurham County: 16,715.1 USD millionEdgecombe County: 1,832.1 USD millionForsyth County: 18,630.9 USD millionFranklin County: 2,588.9 USD millionGaston County: 9,344.6 USD millionGates County: 444.7 USD millionGraham County: 297.2 USD millionGranville County: 2,428.1 USD millionGreene County: 665.9 USD millionGuilford County: 25,325.8 USD millionHalifax County: 1,860.6 USD millionHarnett County: 4,865.6 USD millionHaywood County: 2,623 USD millionHenderson County: 5,340.2 USD millionHertford County: 774.9 USD millionHoke County: 1,786.4 USD millionHyde County: 197 USD millionIredell County: 9,714.1 USD millionJackson County: 1,558 USD millionJohnston County: 8,817.7 USD millionJones County: 386.1 USD millionLee County: 2,635.9 USD millionLenoir County: 2,286.7 USD millionLincoln County: 4,121.2 USD millionMcDowell County: 1,620.6 USD millionMacon County: 1,509.2 USD millionMadison County: 790.1 USD millionMartin County: 796.6 USD millionMecklenburg County: 70,362.8 USD millionMitchell County: 556.9 USD millionMontgomery County: 990.2 USD millionMoore County: 5,298.2 USD millionNash County: 4,129.1 USD millionNew Hanover County: 11,292.5 USD millionNorthampton County: 696.9 USD millionOnslow County: 8,924.1 USD millionOrange County: 9,758.5 USD millionPamlico County: 564.3 USD millionPasquotank County: 1,593.9 USD millionPender County: 2,514.1 USD millionPerquimans County: 561.1 USD millionPerson County: 1,541.3 USD millionPitt County: 7,732.9 USD millionPolk County: 993.7 USD millionRandolph County: 5,609.6 USD millionRichmond County: 1,590.5 USD millionRobeson County: 3,963.8 USD millionRockingham County: 3,497.6 USD millionRowan County: 5,710.6 USD millionRutherford County: 2,289.5 USD millionSampson County: 2,249.1 USD millionScotland County: 1,184.8 USD millionStanly County: 2,498.7 USD millionStokes County: 1,761.2 USD millionSurry County: 2,829.6 USD millionSwain County: 583 USD millionTransylvania County: 1,490.5 USD millionTyrrell County: 127.9 USD millionUnion County: 13,088 USD millionVance County: 1,556.3 USD millionWake County: 69,016.6 USD millionWarren County: 595.6 USD millionWashington County: 424.4 USD millionWatauga County: 2,174.8 USD millionWayne County: 4,858.5 USD millionWilkes County: 2,565.3 USD millionWilson County: 3,277.6 USD millionYadkin County: 1,468.9 USD millionYancey County: 679.5 USD million
  • Under 700
  • 700 to 1,500
  • 1,500 to 2,200
  • 2,200 to 3,500
  • 3,500 to 7,200
  • 7,200 and over
USD million, 2019. 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, 2019

Mecklenburg County: 70,362.8 USD millionMecklenburg County70,362.8Wake County: 69,016.6 USD millionWake County69,016.6Guilford County: 25,325.8 USD millionGuilford County25,325.8Forsyth County: 18,630.9 USD millionForsyth County18,630.9Durham County: 16,715.1 USD millionDurham County16,715.1Buncombe County: 13,506.9 USD millionBuncombe County13,506.9Cumberland County: 13,112 USD millionCumberland County13,112Union County: 13,088 USD millionUnion County13,088New Hanover County: 11,292.5 USD millionNew Hanover County11,292.5Cabarrus County: 10,209.2 USD millionCabarrus County10,209.2Orange County: 9,758.5 USD millionOrange County9,758.5Iredell County: 9,714.1 USD millionIredell County9,714.1Gaston County: 9,344.6 USD millionGaston County9,344.6Onslow County: 8,924.1 USD millionOnslow County8,924.1Johnston County: 8,817.7 USD millionJohnston County8,817.7Pitt County: 7,732.9 USD millionPitt County7,732.9Catawba County: 7,326 USD millionCatawba County7,326Alamance County: 6,985.5 USD millionAlamance County6,985.5Davidson County: 6,859.2 USD millionDavidson County6,859.2Brunswick County: 6,597.6 USD millionBrunswick County6,597.6Rowan County: 5,710.6 USD millionRowan County5,710.6Randolph County: 5,609.6 USD millionRandolph County5,609.6Henderson County: 5,340.2 USD millionHenderson County5,340.2Moore County: 5,298.2 USD millionMoore County5,298.2Chatham County: 4,959.7 USD millionChatham County4,959.7Harnett County: 4,865.6 USD millionHarnett County4,865.6Wayne County: 4,858.5 USD millionWayne County4,858.5Craven County: 4,673.7 USD millionCraven County4,673.7Nash County: 4,129.1 USD millionNash County4,129.1Lincoln County: 4,121.2 USD millionLincoln County4,121.2Robeson County: 3,963.8 USD millionRobeson County3,963.8Cleveland County: 3,769.8 USD millionCleveland County3,769.8Carteret County: 3,591.8 USD millionCarteret County3,591.8Rockingham County: 3,497.6 USD millionRockingham County3,497.6Burke County: 3,296.7 USD millionBurke County3,296.7Wilson County: 3,277.6 USD millionWilson County3,277.6Caldwell County: 2,998.8 USD millionCaldwell County2,998.8Surry County: 2,829.6 USD millionSurry County2,829.6Lee County: 2,635.9 USD millionLee County2,635.9Haywood County: 2,623 USD millionHaywood County2,623Mecklenburg County: 70,362.8 USD millionMecklenburg County70,362.8Wake County: 69,016.6 USD millionWake County69,016.6Guilford County: 25,325.8 USD millionGuilford County25,325.8Forsyth County: 18,630.9 USD millionForsyth County18,630.9Durham County: 16,715.1 USD millionDurham County16,715.1Buncombe County: 13,506.9 USD millionBuncombe County13,506.9Cumberland County: 13,112 USD millionCumberland County13,112Union County: 13,088 USD millionUnion County13,088New Hanover County: 11,292.5 USD millionNew Hanover County11,292.5Cabarrus County: 10,209.2 USD millionCabarrus County10,209.2Orange County: 9,758.5 USD millionOrange County9,758.5Iredell County: 9,714.1 USD millionIredell County9,714.1Gaston County: 9,344.6 USD millionGaston County9,344.6Onslow County: 8,924.1 USD millionOnslow County8,924.1Johnston County: 8,817.7 USD millionJohnston County8,817.7Pitt County: 7,732.9 USD millionPitt County7,732.9Catawba County: 7,326 USD millionCatawba County7,326Alamance County: 6,985.5 USD millionAlamance County6,985.5Davidson County: 6,859.2 USD millionDavidson County6,859.2Brunswick County: 6,597.6 USD millionBrunswick County6,597.6Rowan County: 5,710.6 USD millionRowan County5,710.6Randolph County: 5,609.6 USD millionRandolph County5,609.6Henderson County: 5,340.2 USD millionHenderson County5,340.2Moore County: 5,298.2 USD millionMoore County5,298.2Chatham County: 4,959.7 USD millionChatham County4,959.7Harnett County: 4,865.6 USD millionHarnett County4,865.6Wayne County: 4,858.5 USD millionWayne County4,858.5Craven County: 4,673.7 USD millionCraven County4,673.7Nash County: 4,129.1 USD millionNash County4,129.1Lincoln County: 4,121.2 USD millionLincoln County4,121.2Robeson County: 3,963.8 USD millionRobeson County3,963.8Cleveland County: 3,769.8 USD millionCleveland County3,769.8Carteret County: 3,591.8 USD millionCarteret County3,591.8Rockingham County: 3,497.6 USD millionRockingham County3,497.6Burke County: 3,296.7 USD millionBurke County3,296.7Wilson County: 3,277.6 USD millionWilson County3,277.6Caldwell County: 2,998.8 USD millionCaldwell County2,998.8Surry County: 2,829.6 USD millionSurry County2,829.6Lee County: 2,635.9 USD millionLee County2,635.9Haywood County: 2,623 USD millionHaywood County2,623
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

RankCounties2019
USD million
Change on 2018
1Mecklenburg County70,362.8+6.5%
2Wake County69,016.6+5.6%
3Guilford County25,325.8+5.7%
4Forsyth County18,630.9+5.4%
5Durham County16,715.1+6.7%
6Buncombe County13,506.9+7.3%
7Cumberland County13,112+4.3%
8Union County13,088+6.1%
9New Hanover County11,292.5+6.2%
10Cabarrus County10,209.2+6.8%
11Orange County9,758.5+6.8%
12Iredell County9,714.1+7%
13Gaston County9,344.6+5.9%
14Onslow County8,924.1+3.7%
15Johnston County8,817.7+8.8%
16Pitt County7,732.9+5.5%
17Catawba County7,326+4.5%
18Alamance County6,985.5+6.5%
19Davidson County6,859.2+6%
20Brunswick County6,597.6+9%
21Rowan County5,710.6+6.3%
22Randolph County5,609.6+5.5%
23Henderson County5,340.2+6%
24Moore County5,298.2+6.8%
25Chatham County4,959.7+8.8%
26Harnett County4,865.6+6%
27Wayne County4,858.5+4.5%
28Craven County4,673.7+5.3%
29Nash County4,129.1+6.3%
30Lincoln County4,121.2+7.8%
31Robeson County3,963.8+4.8%
32Cleveland County3,769.8+5.2%
33Carteret County3,591.8+6.3%
34Rockingham County3,497.6+5.9%
35Burke County3,296.7+5.6%
36Wilson County3,277.6+3.6%
37Caldwell County2,998.8+5.1%
38Surry County2,829.6+4.3%
39Lee County2,635.9+6.3%
40Haywood County2,623+7.2%
41Franklin County2,588.9+6.8%
42Wilkes County2,565.3+3.2%
43Pender County2,514.1+8.8%
44Stanly County2,498.7+4.8%
45Granville County2,428.1+6.6%
46Rutherford County2,289.5+7.3%
47Lenoir County2,286.7+4.5%
48Sampson County2,249.1+6%
49Dare County2,184+10%
50Watauga County2,174.8+6.3%
51Davie County2,135+5.8%
52Beaufort County2,068.8+6.4%
53Duplin County2,042.2+5.1%
54Halifax County1,860.6+4.3%
55Columbus County1,859.3+5.3%
56Edgecombe County1,832.1+2.9%
57Hoke County1,786.4+4.8%
58Stokes County1,761.2+4.2%
59McDowell County1,620.6+4.7%
60Pasquotank County1,593.9+6.7%
61Richmond County1,590.5+4.2%
62Jackson County1,558+8.1%
63Vance County1,556.3+4.2%
64Person County1,541.3+4.9%
65Macon County1,509.2+9.4%
66Transylvania County1,490.5+6.8%
67Yadkin County1,468.9+5.6%
68Alexander County1,426.1+5.5%
69Currituck County1,344.4+9.7%
70Scotland County1,184.8+5.9%
71Bladen County1,168.4+4.5%
72Ashe County999.4+6.1%
73Polk County993.7+8.6%
74Montgomery County990.2+3.5%
75Cherokee County972.4+6.9%
76Anson County883.2+3.6%
77Caswell County820.9+5.5%
78Martin County796.6+4.9%
79Madison County790.1+8.2%
80Hertford County774.9+4.6%
81Bertie County706.6+5.8%
82Northampton County696.9+6.1%
83Yancey County679.5+4.3%
84Greene County665.9+4.8%
85Avery County643.7+3.9%
86Warren County595.6+3%
87Chowan County584+3.8%
88Swain County583+6.7%
89Pamlico County564.3+9%
90Perquimans County561.1+6.9%
91Mitchell County556.9+3.9%
92Camden County502.2+7.1%
93Gates County444.7+5.3%
94Alleghany County428.5+5.2%
95Washington County424.4+4.5%
96Clay County402.8+9.4%
97Jones County386.1+7.5%
98Graham County297.2+6.7%
99Hyde County197+10%
100Tyrrell County127.9+5.5%

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, 2019) [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, 2019. 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=2019. 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, 2019. 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=2019.

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, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/personal-income/north-carolina-counties?period=2019.
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 $70.36 billion in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest personal income?

Tyrrell County, with $127.92 million in 2019.

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