Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 100 counties in 2021, at 11.3%. Currituck County had the lowest, at 2.5%. The median was 5.7% and the figure for North Carolina was 5.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest11.3Scotland County
Lowest2.5Currituck County
Median5.7100 counties
North Carolina5.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 5.1 %Alexander County: 4.8 %Alleghany County: 4.6 %Anson County: 7.3 %Ashe County: 5.1 %Avery County: 5.7 %Beaufort County: 6.7 %Bertie County: 7.2 %Bladen County: 6 %Brunswick County: 5.6 %Buncombe County: 3.4 %Burke County: 6.1 %Cabarrus County: 5.1 %Caldwell County: 5.8 %Camden County: 5.7 %Carteret County: 5.1 %Caswell County: 5.8 %Catawba County: 5.8 %Chatham County: 3.4 %Cherokee County: 4.7 %Chowan County: 5.7 %Clay County: 3.2 %Cleveland County: 7.2 %Columbus County: 5.3 %Craven County: 5.7 %Cumberland County: 8 %Currituck County: 2.5 %Dare County: 6.1 %Davidson County: 5.4 %Davie County: 4.9 %Duplin County: 7.2 %Durham County: 4.7 %Edgecombe County: 9.3 %Forsyth County: 5.3 %Franklin County: 6.5 %Gaston County: 5.3 %Gates County: 9.7 %Graham County: 6 %Granville County: 5.2 %Greene County: 6.9 %Guilford County: 5.6 %Halifax County: 8.5 %Harnett County: 6.2 %Haywood County: 3.5 %Henderson County: 3.8 %Hertford County: 8.5 %Hoke County: 7.5 %Hyde County: 6.8 %Iredell County: 4.8 %Jackson County: 6.8 %Johnston County: 4.3 %Jones County: 6.4 %Lee County: 5.2 %Lenoir County: 9.3 %Lincoln County: 4.5 %McDowell County: 6.3 %Macon County: 4.2 %Madison County: 2.7 %Martin County: 10.4 %Mecklenburg County: 4.6 %Mitchell County: 6.4 %Montgomery County: 3.4 %Moore County: 4.3 %Nash County: 7.1 %New Hanover County: 5 %Northampton County: 7.6 %Onslow County: 6.9 %Orange County: 4.4 %Pamlico County: 5.6 %Pasquotank County: 5.2 %Pender County: 7.2 %Perquimans County: 5.2 %Person County: 5.2 %Pitt County: 7.4 %Polk County: 3.8 %Randolph County: 4.6 %Richmond County: 8.9 %Robeson County: 6.7 %Rockingham County: 6.7 %Rowan County: 7.1 %Rutherford County: 6.1 %Sampson County: 6.7 %Scotland County: 11.3 %Stanly County: 4.7 %Stokes County: 5.4 %Surry County: 4.5 %Swain County: 7.8 %Transylvania County: 4.9 %Tyrrell County: 3.6 %Union County: 4.6 %Vance County: 6.5 %Wake County: 4.3 %Warren County: 9.1 %Washington County: 9.2 %Watauga County: 8.9 %Wayne County: 4.5 %Wilkes County: 5.8 %Wilson County: 8.2 %Yadkin County: 4.8 %Yancey County: 7.9 %
  • Under 4.5
  • 4.5 to 5.1
  • 5.1 to 5.7
  • 5.7 to 6.5
  • 6.5 to 7.4
  • 7.4 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Scotland County: 11.3 %Scotland County11.3Martin County: 10.4 %Martin County10.4Gates County: 9.7 %Gates County9.7Lenoir County: 9.3 %Lenoir County9.3Edgecombe County: 9.3 %Edgecombe County9.3Washington County: 9.2 %Washington County9.2Warren County: 9.1 %Warren County9.1Richmond County: 8.9 %Richmond County8.9Watauga County: 8.9 %Watauga County8.9Hertford County: 8.5 %Hertford County8.5Halifax County: 8.5 %Halifax County8.5Wilson County: 8.2 %Wilson County8.2Cumberland County: 8 %Cumberland County8Yancey County: 7.9 %Yancey County7.9Swain County: 7.8 %Swain County7.8Northampton County: 7.6 %Northampton County7.6Hoke County: 7.5 %Hoke County7.5Pitt County: 7.4 %Pitt County7.4Anson County: 7.3 %Anson County7.3Duplin County: 7.2 %Duplin County7.2Bertie County: 7.2 %Bertie County7.2Cleveland County: 7.2 %Cleveland County7.2Pender County: 7.2 %Pender County7.2Nash County: 7.1 %Nash County7.1Rowan County: 7.1 %Rowan County7.1Onslow County: 6.9 %Onslow County6.9Greene County: 6.9 %Greene County6.9Hyde County: 6.8 %Hyde County6.8Jackson County: 6.8 %Jackson County6.8Beaufort County: 6.7 %Beaufort County6.7Sampson County: 6.7 %Sampson County6.7Robeson County: 6.7 %Robeson County6.7Rockingham County: 6.7 %Rockingham County6.7Vance County: 6.5 %Vance County6.5Franklin County: 6.5 %Franklin County6.5Jones County: 6.4 %Jones County6.4Mitchell County: 6.4 %Mitchell County6.4McDowell County: 6.3 %McDowell County6.3Harnett County: 6.2 %Harnett County6.2Burke County: 6.1 %Burke County6.1Scotland County: 11.3 %Scotland County11.3Martin County: 10.4 %Martin County10.4Gates County: 9.7 %Gates County9.7Lenoir County: 9.3 %Lenoir County9.3Edgecombe County: 9.3 %Edgecombe County9.3Washington County: 9.2 %Washington County9.2Warren County: 9.1 %Warren County9.1Richmond County: 8.9 %Richmond County8.9Watauga County: 8.9 %Watauga County8.9Hertford County: 8.5 %Hertford County8.5Halifax County: 8.5 %Halifax County8.5Wilson County: 8.2 %Wilson County8.2Cumberland County: 8 %Cumberland County8Yancey County: 7.9 %Yancey County7.9Swain County: 7.8 %Swain County7.8Northampton County: 7.6 %Northampton County7.6Hoke County: 7.5 %Hoke County7.5Pitt County: 7.4 %Pitt County7.4Anson County: 7.3 %Anson County7.3Duplin County: 7.2 %Duplin County7.2Bertie County: 7.2 %Bertie County7.2Cleveland County: 7.2 %Cleveland County7.2Pender County: 7.2 %Pender County7.2Nash County: 7.1 %Nash County7.1Rowan County: 7.1 %Rowan County7.1Onslow County: 6.9 %Onslow County6.9Greene County: 6.9 %Greene County6.9Hyde County: 6.8 %Hyde County6.8Jackson County: 6.8 %Jackson County6.8Beaufort County: 6.7 %Beaufort County6.7Sampson County: 6.7 %Sampson County6.7Robeson County: 6.7 %Robeson County6.7Rockingham County: 6.7 %Rockingham County6.7Vance County: 6.5 %Vance County6.5Franklin County: 6.5 %Franklin County6.5Jones County: 6.4 %Jones County6.4Mitchell County: 6.4 %Mitchell County6.4McDowell County: 6.3 %McDowell County6.3Harnett County: 6.2 %Harnett County6.2Burke County: 6.1 %Burke County6.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Scotland County11.3
2Martin County10.4
3Gates County9.7
4Lenoir County9.3
5Edgecombe County9.3
6Washington County9.2
7Warren County9.1
8Richmond County8.9
9Watauga County8.9
10Hertford County8.5
11Halifax County8.5
12Wilson County8.2
13Cumberland County8
14Yancey County7.9
15Swain County7.8
16Northampton County7.6
17Hoke County7.5
18Pitt County7.4
19Anson County7.3
20Duplin County7.2
21Bertie County7.2
21Cleveland County7.2
21Pender County7.2
24Nash County7.1
24Rowan County7.1
26Onslow County6.9
27Greene County6.9
28Hyde County6.8
29Jackson County6.8
30Beaufort County6.7
31Sampson County6.7
32Robeson County6.7
33Rockingham County6.7
34Vance County6.5
35Franklin County6.5
36Jones County6.4
36Mitchell County6.4
38McDowell County6.3
39Harnett County6.2
40Burke County6.1
41Rutherford County6.1
42Dare County6.1
43Bladen County6
44Graham County6
45Catawba County5.8
45Wilkes County5.8
47Caswell County5.8
48Caldwell County5.8
49Camden County5.7
50Avery County5.7
51Craven County5.7
52Chowan County5.7
53Pamlico County5.6
54Brunswick County5.6
54Guilford County5.6
56Davidson County5.4
56Stokes County5.4
58Gaston County5.3
59Columbus County5.3
60Forsyth County5.3
61Person County5.2
62Lee County5.2
63Granville County5.2
63Pasquotank County5.2
65Perquimans County5.2
66Ashe County5.1
67Alamance County5.1
67Carteret County5.1
69Cabarrus County5.1
70New Hanover County5
71Transylvania County4.9
72Davie County4.9
73Yadkin County4.8
74Iredell County4.8
75Alexander County4.8
76Durham County4.7
77Stanly County4.7
78Cherokee County4.7
79Mecklenburg County4.6
79Randolph County4.6
81Alleghany County4.6
82Union County4.6
83Surry County4.5
84Lincoln County4.5
85Wayne County4.5
86Orange County4.4
87Moore County4.3
87Wake County4.3
89Johnston County4.3
90Macon County4.2
91Henderson County3.8
92Polk County3.8
93Tyrrell County3.6
94Haywood County3.5
95Buncombe County3.4
95Chatham County3.4
97Montgomery County3.4
98Clay County3.2
99Madison County2.7
100Currituck County2.5

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment 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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Scotland County, with 11.3% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Currituck County, with 2.5% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings