Counties in North Carolina by population aged 18 to 64

Watauga County had the highest population aged 18 to 64 of 100 counties in 2024, at 70.2%. Clay County had the lowest, at 48.2%. The median was 57.2% and the figure for North Carolina was 60.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest70.2Watauga County
Lowest48.2Clay County
Median57.2100 counties
North Carolina60.1History

Map of counties, 2024

Alamance County: 60.2 %Alexander County: 59.3 %Alleghany County: 52.2 %Anson County: 57.8 %Ashe County: 54.6 %Avery County: 58.8 %Beaufort County: 52.7 %Bertie County: 57.4 %Bladen County: 54.9 %Brunswick County: 50 %Buncombe County: 60.4 %Burke County: 58 %Cabarrus County: 60.9 %Caldwell County: 57.9 %Camden County: 58.9 %Carteret County: 54.3 %Caswell County: 56.8 %Catawba County: 59.1 %Chatham County: 54.1 %Cherokee County: 51 %Chowan County: 52.5 %Clay County: 48.2 %Cleveland County: 58 %Columbus County: 56.9 %Craven County: 56 %Cumberland County: 60.7 %Currituck County: 58.2 %Dare County: 54.7 %Davidson County: 58.2 %Davie County: 56.3 %Duplin County: 54.8 %Durham County: 65.1 %Edgecombe County: 54.9 %Forsyth County: 59.6 %Franklin County: 59.5 %Gaston County: 60.3 %Gates County: 57.5 %Graham County: 53.4 %Granville County: 60.8 %Greene County: 61.9 %Guilford County: 61.1 %Halifax County: 55.1 %Harnett County: 60 %Haywood County: 55.3 %Henderson County: 53.7 %Hertford County: 54.1 %Hoke County: 60.3 %Hyde County: 57.3 %Iredell County: 60.3 %Jackson County: 63.2 %Johnston County: 60.9 %Jones County: 54.3 %Lee County: 58 %Lenoir County: 55.3 %Lincoln County: 58.5 %McDowell County: 58.7 %Macon County: 51.5 %Madison County: 58.6 %Martin County: 53.2 %Mecklenburg County: 64.9 %Mitchell County: 55.6 %Montgomery County: 55.7 %Moore County: 53.1 %Nash County: 57.4 %New Hanover County: 62 %Northampton County: 50.9 %Onslow County: 63.7 %Orange County: 64.3 %Pamlico County: 51.9 %Pasquotank County: 59 %Pender County: 57.7 %Perquimans County: 52.7 %Person County: 56.6 %Pitt County: 62.8 %Polk County: 50.9 %Randolph County: 58 %Richmond County: 56.8 %Robeson County: 56.7 %Rockingham County: 56.9 %Rowan County: 59.3 %Rutherford County: 56.9 %Sampson County: 56.5 %Scotland County: 56.3 %Stanly County: 58.5 %Stokes County: 57 %Surry County: 56.4 %Swain County: 56.4 %Transylvania County: 52.5 %Tyrrell County: 58.2 %Union County: 60.1 %Vance County: 55.4 %Wake County: 63.7 %Warren County: 53.8 %Washington County: 51.3 %Watauga County: 70.2 %Wayne County: 57.6 %Wilkes County: 56 %Wilson County: 57.2 %Yadkin County: 57.2 %Yancey County: 54.5 %
  • Under 54
  • 54 to 56
  • 56 to 57
  • 57 to 58
  • 58 to 60
  • 60 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Watauga County: 70.2 %Watauga County70.2Durham County: 65.1 %Durham County65.1Mecklenburg County: 64.9 %Mecklenburg County64.9Orange County: 64.3 %Orange County64.3Onslow County: 63.7 %Onslow County63.7Wake County: 63.7 %Wake County63.7Jackson County: 63.2 %Jackson County63.2Pitt County: 62.8 %Pitt County62.8New Hanover County: 62 %New Hanover County62Greene County: 61.9 %Greene County61.9Guilford County: 61.1 %Guilford County61.1Cabarrus County: 60.9 %Cabarrus County60.9Johnston County: 60.9 %Johnston County60.9Granville County: 60.8 %Granville County60.8Cumberland County: 60.7 %Cumberland County60.7Buncombe County: 60.4 %Buncombe County60.4Iredell County: 60.3 %Iredell County60.3Hoke County: 60.3 %Hoke County60.3Gaston County: 60.3 %Gaston County60.3Alamance County: 60.2 %Alamance County60.2Union County: 60.1 %Union County60.1Harnett County: 60 %Harnett County60Forsyth County: 59.6 %Forsyth County59.6Franklin County: 59.5 %Franklin County59.5Rowan County: 59.3 %Rowan County59.3Alexander County: 59.3 %Alexander County59.3Catawba County: 59.1 %Catawba County59.1Pasquotank County: 59 %Pasquotank County59Camden County: 58.9 %Camden County58.9Avery County: 58.8 %Avery County58.8McDowell County: 58.7 %McDowell County58.7Madison County: 58.6 %Madison County58.6Lincoln County: 58.5 %Lincoln County58.5Stanly County: 58.5 %Stanly County58.5Tyrrell County: 58.2 %Tyrrell County58.2Davidson County: 58.2 %Davidson County58.2Currituck County: 58.2 %Currituck County58.2Cleveland County: 58 %Cleveland County58Lee County: 58 %Lee County58Randolph County: 58 %Randolph County58Watauga County: 70.2 %Watauga County70.2Durham County: 65.1 %Durham County65.1Mecklenburg County: 64.9 %Mecklenburg County64.9Orange County: 64.3 %Orange County64.3Onslow County: 63.7 %Onslow County63.7Wake County: 63.7 %Wake County63.7Jackson County: 63.2 %Jackson County63.2Pitt County: 62.8 %Pitt County62.8New Hanover County: 62 %New Hanover County62Greene County: 61.9 %Greene County61.9Guilford County: 61.1 %Guilford County61.1Cabarrus County: 60.9 %Cabarrus County60.9Johnston County: 60.9 %Johnston County60.9Granville County: 60.8 %Granville County60.8Cumberland County: 60.7 %Cumberland County60.7Buncombe County: 60.4 %Buncombe County60.4Iredell County: 60.3 %Iredell County60.3Hoke County: 60.3 %Hoke County60.3Gaston County: 60.3 %Gaston County60.3Alamance County: 60.2 %Alamance County60.2Union County: 60.1 %Union County60.1Harnett County: 60 %Harnett County60Forsyth County: 59.6 %Forsyth County59.6Franklin County: 59.5 %Franklin County59.5Rowan County: 59.3 %Rowan County59.3Alexander County: 59.3 %Alexander County59.3Catawba County: 59.1 %Catawba County59.1Pasquotank County: 59 %Pasquotank County59Camden County: 58.9 %Camden County58.9Avery County: 58.8 %Avery County58.8McDowell County: 58.7 %McDowell County58.7Madison County: 58.6 %Madison County58.6Lincoln County: 58.5 %Lincoln County58.5Stanly County: 58.5 %Stanly County58.5Tyrrell County: 58.2 %Tyrrell County58.2Davidson County: 58.2 %Davidson County58.2Currituck County: 58.2 %Currituck County58.2Cleveland County: 58 %Cleveland County58Lee County: 58 %Lee County58Randolph County: 58 %Randolph County58
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Watauga County70.20 pts
2Durham County65.1-0.2 pts
3Mecklenburg County64.9-0 pts
4Orange County64.3-0.3 pts
5Onslow County63.7-0.1 pts
6Wake County63.70 pts
7Jackson County63.2-0.3 pts
8Pitt County62.8-0.2 pts
9New Hanover County62-0 pts
10Greene County61.9-0.1 pts
11Guilford County61.1-0.3 pts
12Cabarrus County60.9+0.1 pts
13Johnston County60.9+0.2 pts
14Granville County60.8-0.2 pts
15Cumberland County60.7-0.5 pts
16Buncombe County60.4-0.1 pts
17Iredell County60.3+0.1 pts
18Hoke County60.30 pts
19Gaston County60.3-0.1 pts
20Alamance County60.2-0 pts
21Union County60.1+0.1 pts
22Harnett County60+0.1 pts
23Forsyth County59.6-0.2 pts
24Franklin County59.5-0 pts
25Rowan County59.3-0.1 pts
26Alexander County59.30 pts
27Catawba County59.1-0.1 pts
28Pasquotank County59-0.3 pts
29Camden County58.9-0.2 pts
30Avery County58.8+0.5 pts
31McDowell County58.7+0.1 pts
32Madison County58.6-0 pts
33Lincoln County58.5-0.4 pts
34Stanly County58.5-0.1 pts
35Tyrrell County58.2+0.1 pts
36Davidson County58.2-0.3 pts
37Currituck County58.2-0.5 pts
38Cleveland County58-0.1 pts
39Lee County58-0.2 pts
40Randolph County58-0.3 pts
41Burke County58-0.2 pts
42Caldwell County57.9-0.3 pts
43Anson County57.8-0.8 pts
44Pender County57.7-0 pts
45Wayne County57.6-0.3 pts
46Gates County57.5-0 pts
47Nash County57.4-0.3 pts
48Bertie County57.4-0.1 pts
49Hyde County57.3-1.1 pts
50Yadkin County57.2-0.4 pts
51Wilson County57.2-0.1 pts
52Stokes County57-0.3 pts
53Columbus County56.9-0.4 pts
54Rockingham County56.9-0.4 pts
55Rutherford County56.9-0.2 pts
56Caswell County56.8-0.4 pts
57Richmond County56.8-0 pts
58Robeson County56.7-0.4 pts
59Person County56.6-0.3 pts
60Sampson County56.5+0.1 pts
61Swain County56.4-0 pts
62Surry County56.4-0.3 pts
63Davie County56.3-0 pts
64Scotland County56.3-0.3 pts
65Craven County56-0.4 pts
66Wilkes County56-0.2 pts
67Montgomery County55.7-0.2 pts
68Mitchell County55.6-0.3 pts
69Vance County55.4-0.2 pts
70Haywood County55.3-0.4 pts
71Lenoir County55.3-0.3 pts
72Halifax County55.1-0.6 pts
73Bladen County54.9-0.4 pts
74Edgecombe County54.9-0.4 pts
75Duplin County54.8-0 pts
76Dare County54.7-0.8 pts
77Ashe County54.6-0.3 pts
78Yancey County54.5-0.6 pts
79Jones County54.3-0.7 pts
80Carteret County54.3-0.3 pts
81Hertford County54.1-0.8 pts
82Chatham County54.10 pts
83Warren County53.8+0.1 pts
84Henderson County53.7-0.1 pts
85Graham County53.4-0.1 pts
86Martin County53.2-0.4 pts
87Moore County53.1-0.3 pts
88Perquimans County52.7-0.6 pts
89Beaufort County52.7-0.2 pts
90Chowan County52.5-0.3 pts
91Transylvania County52.5-0.1 pts
92Alleghany County52.2-0.2 pts
93Pamlico County51.9-0.6 pts
94Macon County51.5-0.4 pts
95Washington County51.3-0.3 pts
96Cherokee County51-0.5 pts
97Northampton County50.9-0.6 pts
98Polk County50.9-0.6 pts
99Brunswick County50-0.2 pts
100Clay County48.2-0.8 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, 2024) [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, 2024. 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?period=2024. 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, 2024. 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?period=2024.

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, 2024 [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?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2024,
  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, 2024}},
  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?period=2024. 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, 2024
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?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-18-64/north-carolina-counties?period=2024.
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 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population aged 18 to 64?

Clay County, with 48.2% in 2024.

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