Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025

Watauga County had the highest population aged 18 to 64 of 100 counties in 2025, at 70.2%. Clay County had the lowest, at 47.4%. The median was 56.9% and the figure for North Carolina was 60%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest70.2Watauga County
Lowest47.4Clay County
Median56.9100 counties
North Carolina60History

Map of counties, 2025

Alamance County: 60.2 %Alexander County: 59.1 %Alleghany County: 51.7 %Anson County: 57.6 %Ashe County: 54.3 %Avery County: 58.4 %Beaufort County: 52.4 %Bertie County: 57.3 %Bladen County: 54.6 %Brunswick County: 49.8 %Buncombe County: 59.9 %Burke County: 57.7 %Cabarrus County: 61 %Caldwell County: 57.7 %Camden County: 58.7 %Carteret County: 53.8 %Caswell County: 56.4 %Catawba County: 59.1 %Chatham County: 53.7 %Cherokee County: 50 %Chowan County: 52 %Clay County: 47.4 %Cleveland County: 57.9 %Columbus County: 56.7 %Craven County: 55.6 %Cumberland County: 60.3 %Currituck County: 57.7 %Dare County: 54.1 %Davidson County: 58 %Davie County: 56 %Duplin County: 55 %Durham County: 64.9 %Edgecombe County: 54.6 %Forsyth County: 59.5 %Franklin County: 59.2 %Gaston County: 60.1 %Gates County: 57.1 %Graham County: 53 %Granville County: 60.3 %Greene County: 61.6 %Guilford County: 60.8 %Halifax County: 54.6 %Harnett County: 60.2 %Haywood County: 55.1 %Henderson County: 53.5 %Hertford County: 53.6 %Hoke County: 60.2 %Hyde County: 57 %Iredell County: 60.3 %Jackson County: 62.7 %Johnston County: 61 %Jones County: 54.1 %Lee County: 57.8 %Lenoir County: 55.2 %Lincoln County: 58 %McDowell County: 58.5 %Macon County: 51.3 %Madison County: 58.3 %Martin County: 52.9 %Mecklenburg County: 64.9 %Mitchell County: 55.2 %Montgomery County: 55.3 %Moore County: 52.9 %Nash County: 57.2 %New Hanover County: 61.9 %Northampton County: 50.3 %Onslow County: 63.4 %Orange County: 64.1 %Pamlico County: 51.4 %Pasquotank County: 58.8 %Pender County: 57.8 %Perquimans County: 52.3 %Person County: 56.2 %Pitt County: 62.8 %Polk County: 50.3 %Randolph County: 57.8 %Richmond County: 56.6 %Robeson County: 56.4 %Rockingham County: 56.7 %Rowan County: 59.2 %Rutherford County: 56.7 %Sampson County: 56.3 %Scotland County: 55.8 %Stanly County: 58.4 %Stokes County: 56.7 %Surry County: 56.2 %Swain County: 56.3 %Transylvania County: 52.3 %Tyrrell County: 58.2 %Union County: 60.2 %Vance County: 55.4 %Wake County: 63.6 %Warren County: 53.3 %Washington County: 51 %Watauga County: 70.2 %Wayne County: 57.4 %Wilkes County: 55.8 %Wilson County: 57.1 %Yadkin County: 56.9 %Yancey County: 53.9 %
  • Under 53
  • 53 to 55
  • 55 to 57
  • 57 to 58
  • 58 to 60
  • 60 and over
%, 2025. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2025

Watauga County: 70.2 %Watauga County70.2Durham County: 64.9 %Durham County64.9Mecklenburg County: 64.9 %Mecklenburg County64.9Orange County: 64.1 %Orange County64.1Wake County: 63.6 %Wake County63.6Onslow County: 63.4 %Onslow County63.4Pitt County: 62.8 %Pitt County62.8Jackson County: 62.7 %Jackson County62.7New Hanover County: 61.9 %New Hanover County61.9Greene County: 61.6 %Greene County61.6Cabarrus County: 61 %Cabarrus County61Johnston County: 61 %Johnston County61Guilford County: 60.8 %Guilford County60.8Iredell County: 60.3 %Iredell County60.3Cumberland County: 60.3 %Cumberland County60.3Granville County: 60.3 %Granville County60.3Union County: 60.2 %Union County60.2Harnett County: 60.2 %Harnett County60.2Alamance County: 60.2 %Alamance County60.2Hoke County: 60.2 %Hoke County60.2Gaston County: 60.1 %Gaston County60.1Buncombe County: 59.9 %Buncombe County59.9Forsyth County: 59.5 %Forsyth County59.5Franklin County: 59.2 %Franklin County59.2Rowan County: 59.2 %Rowan County59.2Catawba County: 59.1 %Catawba County59.1Alexander County: 59.1 %Alexander County59.1Pasquotank County: 58.8 %Pasquotank County58.8Camden County: 58.7 %Camden County58.7McDowell County: 58.5 %McDowell County58.5Avery County: 58.4 %Avery County58.4Stanly County: 58.4 %Stanly County58.4Madison County: 58.3 %Madison County58.3Tyrrell County: 58.2 %Tyrrell County58.2Davidson County: 58 %Davidson County58Lincoln County: 58 %Lincoln County58Cleveland County: 57.9 %Cleveland County57.9Randolph County: 57.8 %Randolph County57.8Lee County: 57.8 %Lee County57.8Pender County: 57.8 %Pender County57.8Watauga County: 70.2 %Watauga County70.2Durham County: 64.9 %Durham County64.9Mecklenburg County: 64.9 %Mecklenburg County64.9Orange County: 64.1 %Orange County64.1Wake County: 63.6 %Wake County63.6Onslow County: 63.4 %Onslow County63.4Pitt County: 62.8 %Pitt County62.8Jackson County: 62.7 %Jackson County62.7New Hanover County: 61.9 %New Hanover County61.9Greene County: 61.6 %Greene County61.6Cabarrus County: 61 %Cabarrus County61Johnston County: 61 %Johnston County61Guilford County: 60.8 %Guilford County60.8Iredell County: 60.3 %Iredell County60.3Cumberland County: 60.3 %Cumberland County60.3Granville County: 60.3 %Granville County60.3Union County: 60.2 %Union County60.2Harnett County: 60.2 %Harnett County60.2Alamance County: 60.2 %Alamance County60.2Hoke County: 60.2 %Hoke County60.2Gaston County: 60.1 %Gaston County60.1Buncombe County: 59.9 %Buncombe County59.9Forsyth County: 59.5 %Forsyth County59.5Franklin County: 59.2 %Franklin County59.2Rowan County: 59.2 %Rowan County59.2Catawba County: 59.1 %Catawba County59.1Alexander County: 59.1 %Alexander County59.1Pasquotank County: 58.8 %Pasquotank County58.8Camden County: 58.7 %Camden County58.7McDowell County: 58.5 %McDowell County58.5Avery County: 58.4 %Avery County58.4Stanly County: 58.4 %Stanly County58.4Madison County: 58.3 %Madison County58.3Tyrrell County: 58.2 %Tyrrell County58.2Davidson County: 58 %Davidson County58Lincoln County: 58 %Lincoln County58Cleveland County: 57.9 %Cleveland County57.9Randolph County: 57.8 %Randolph County57.8Lee County: 57.8 %Lee County57.8Pender County: 57.8 %Pender County57.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2025 (%)Change on 2024
1Watauga County70.2+0.1 pts
2Durham County64.9-0.2 pts
3Mecklenburg County64.9-0 pts
4Orange County64.1-0.2 pts
5Wake County63.6-0 pts
6Onslow County63.4-0.3 pts
7Pitt County62.8-0.1 pts
8Jackson County62.7-0.5 pts
9New Hanover County61.9-0 pts
10Greene County61.6-0.3 pts
11Cabarrus County61+0.1 pts
12Johnston County61+0.1 pts
13Guilford County60.8-0.2 pts
14Iredell County60.3-0 pts
15Cumberland County60.3-0.4 pts
16Granville County60.3-0.5 pts
17Union County60.2+0.1 pts
18Harnett County60.2+0.2 pts
19Alamance County60.2-0 pts
20Hoke County60.2-0.1 pts
21Gaston County60.1-0.2 pts
22Buncombe County59.9-0.5 pts
23Forsyth County59.5-0.1 pts
24Franklin County59.2-0.3 pts
24Rowan County59.2-0.1 pts
26Catawba County59.1-0 pts
27Alexander County59.1-0.2 pts
28Pasquotank County58.8-0.3 pts
29Camden County58.7-0.3 pts
30McDowell County58.5-0.2 pts
31Avery County58.4-0.3 pts
31Stanly County58.4-0 pts
33Madison County58.3-0.4 pts
34Tyrrell County58.2-0 pts
35Davidson County58-0.2 pts
36Lincoln County58-0.5 pts
37Cleveland County57.9-0.1 pts
38Randolph County57.8-0.2 pts
39Lee County57.8-0.2 pts
40Pender County57.80 pts
41Caldwell County57.7-0.2 pts
42Burke County57.7-0.3 pts
43Currituck County57.7-0.5 pts
44Anson County57.6-0.2 pts
45Wayne County57.4-0.2 pts
46Bertie County57.3-0.1 pts
47Nash County57.2-0.2 pts
48Wilson County57.1-0.1 pts
49Gates County57.1-0.4 pts
50Hyde County57-0.4 pts
51Yadkin County56.9-0.3 pts
52Stokes County56.7-0.2 pts
53Rutherford County56.7-0.2 pts
54Rockingham County56.7-0.2 pts
55Columbus County56.7-0.3 pts
56Richmond County56.6-0.1 pts
57Robeson County56.4-0.3 pts
58Caswell County56.4-0.4 pts
59Sampson County56.3-0.2 pts
60Swain County56.3-0.2 pts
61Person County56.2-0.4 pts
62Surry County56.2-0.2 pts
63Davie County56-0.2 pts
64Wilkes County55.8-0.2 pts
65Scotland County55.8-0.5 pts
66Craven County55.6-0.4 pts
67Vance County55.40 pts
68Montgomery County55.3-0.4 pts
69Lenoir County55.2-0.1 pts
70Mitchell County55.2-0.4 pts
71Haywood County55.1-0.2 pts
72Duplin County55+0.2 pts
73Edgecombe County54.6-0.3 pts
74Halifax County54.6-0.5 pts
75Bladen County54.6-0.4 pts
76Ashe County54.3-0.3 pts
77Dare County54.1-0.6 pts
78Jones County54.1-0.2 pts
79Yancey County53.9-0.6 pts
80Carteret County53.8-0.5 pts
81Chatham County53.7-0.3 pts
82Hertford County53.6-0.5 pts
83Henderson County53.5-0.2 pts
84Warren County53.3-0.5 pts
85Graham County53-0.4 pts
86Moore County52.9-0.1 pts
87Martin County52.9-0.3 pts
88Beaufort County52.4-0.3 pts
89Perquimans County52.3-0.4 pts
90Transylvania County52.3-0.2 pts
91Chowan County52-0.5 pts
92Alleghany County51.7-0.4 pts
93Pamlico County51.4-0.5 pts
94Macon County51.3-0.2 pts
95Washington County51-0.3 pts
96Polk County50.3-0.6 pts
97Northampton County50.3-0.6 pts
98Cherokee County50-1.1 pts
99Brunswick County49.8-0.3 pts
100Clay County47.4-0.8 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of total population on 1 July. United States: Census Bureau county population estimates by age; states and the nation are sums of their counties.

Not comparable with working-age shares for ages 15 to 64 used in EU and World Bank statistics.

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. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. 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). Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties (Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html

MLA 9

Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 June 2026, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2025,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64, 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest population aged 18 to 64?

Watauga County, with 70.2% in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population aged 18 to 64?

Clay County, with 47.4% in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 18 to 64 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Population aged 18 to 64: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings