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)

Washington County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 100 counties in 2023, at 11.2%. Madison County had the lowest, at 2.6%. The median was 5% and the figure for North Carolina was 4.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest11.2Washington County
Lowest2.6Madison County
Median5100 counties
North Carolina4.8History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 4.9 %Alexander County: 5.2 %Alleghany County: 5.4 %Anson County: 6.9 %Ashe County: 5.4 %Avery County: 4.8 %Beaufort County: 5.4 %Bertie County: 8.4 %Bladen County: 4.3 %Brunswick County: 5.2 %Buncombe County: 3.5 %Burke County: 4.8 %Cabarrus County: 4.5 %Caldwell County: 4.8 %Camden County: 4.9 %Carteret County: 4.3 %Caswell County: 5.7 %Catawba County: 4.2 %Chatham County: 3 %Cherokee County: 5.4 %Chowan County: 5.9 %Clay County: 4.3 %Cleveland County: 5.7 %Columbus County: 4.7 %Craven County: 4.5 %Cumberland County: 7.7 %Currituck County: 2.9 %Dare County: 5.9 %Davidson County: 4.1 %Davie County: 4.5 %Duplin County: 4.7 %Durham County: 4.2 %Edgecombe County: 8 %Forsyth County: 5.3 %Franklin County: 5.6 %Gaston County: 4.8 %Gates County: 9 %Graham County: 6.5 %Granville County: 4.4 %Greene County: 5.6 %Guilford County: 4.7 %Halifax County: 8.7 %Harnett County: 5 %Haywood County: 3.4 %Henderson County: 3.3 %Hertford County: 5.2 %Hoke County: 7.4 %Hyde County: 3 %Iredell County: 4.4 %Jackson County: 6.4 %Johnston County: 3.9 %Jones County: 4.1 %Lee County: 4 %Lenoir County: 7.2 %Lincoln County: 3.6 %McDowell County: 4.7 %Macon County: 2.9 %Madison County: 2.6 %Martin County: 7 %Mecklenburg County: 4.2 %Mitchell County: 6.5 %Montgomery County: 2.9 %Moore County: 4.7 %Nash County: 6.2 %New Hanover County: 4.7 %Northampton County: 6.5 %Onslow County: 5.8 %Orange County: 3.6 %Pamlico County: 4.5 %Pasquotank County: 6.6 %Pender County: 6 %Perquimans County: 5 %Person County: 3.9 %Pitt County: 7.6 %Polk County: 4.3 %Randolph County: 3.7 %Richmond County: 9.6 %Robeson County: 6.3 %Rockingham County: 6.3 %Rowan County: 5.9 %Rutherford County: 5.5 %Sampson County: 5.2 %Scotland County: 10.1 %Stanly County: 4.1 %Stokes County: 4.6 %Surry County: 5 %Swain County: 8.3 %Transylvania County: 3.6 %Tyrrell County: 5.1 %Union County: 4.2 %Vance County: 6.9 %Wake County: 4.2 %Warren County: 8 %Washington County: 11.2 %Watauga County: 9 %Wayne County: 5.4 %Wilkes County: 4.9 %Wilson County: 6 %Yadkin County: 5.4 %Yancey County: 6.1 %
  • Under 4.1
  • 4.1 to 4.5
  • 4.5 to 5
  • 5 to 5.7
  • 5.7 to 6.7
  • 6.7 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Washington County: 11.2 %Washington County11.2Scotland County: 10.1 %Scotland County10.1Richmond County: 9.6 %Richmond County9.6Gates County: 9 %Gates County9Watauga County: 9 %Watauga County9Halifax County: 8.7 %Halifax County8.7Bertie County: 8.4 %Bertie County8.4Swain County: 8.3 %Swain County8.3Warren County: 8 %Warren County8Edgecombe County: 8 %Edgecombe County8Cumberland County: 7.7 %Cumberland County7.7Pitt County: 7.6 %Pitt County7.6Hoke County: 7.4 %Hoke County7.4Lenoir County: 7.2 %Lenoir County7.2Martin County: 7 %Martin County7Anson County: 6.9 %Anson County6.9Vance County: 6.9 %Vance County6.9Pasquotank County: 6.6 %Pasquotank County6.6Mitchell County: 6.5 %Mitchell County6.5Northampton County: 6.5 %Northampton County6.5Graham County: 6.5 %Graham County6.5Jackson County: 6.4 %Jackson County6.4Rockingham County: 6.3 %Rockingham County6.3Robeson County: 6.3 %Robeson County6.3Nash County: 6.2 %Nash County6.2Yancey County: 6.1 %Yancey County6.1Pender County: 6 %Pender County6Wilson County: 6 %Wilson County6Chowan County: 5.9 %Chowan County5.9Dare County: 5.9 %Dare County5.9Rowan County: 5.9 %Rowan County5.9Onslow County: 5.8 %Onslow County5.8Cleveland County: 5.7 %Cleveland County5.7Caswell County: 5.7 %Caswell County5.7Greene County: 5.6 %Greene County5.6Franklin County: 5.6 %Franklin County5.6Rutherford County: 5.5 %Rutherford County5.5Beaufort County: 5.4 %Beaufort County5.4Ashe County: 5.4 %Ashe County5.4Wayne County: 5.4 %Wayne County5.4Washington County: 11.2 %Washington County11.2Scotland County: 10.1 %Scotland County10.1Richmond County: 9.6 %Richmond County9.6Gates County: 9 %Gates County9Watauga County: 9 %Watauga County9Halifax County: 8.7 %Halifax County8.7Bertie County: 8.4 %Bertie County8.4Swain County: 8.3 %Swain County8.3Warren County: 8 %Warren County8Edgecombe County: 8 %Edgecombe County8Cumberland County: 7.7 %Cumberland County7.7Pitt County: 7.6 %Pitt County7.6Hoke County: 7.4 %Hoke County7.4Lenoir County: 7.2 %Lenoir County7.2Martin County: 7 %Martin County7Anson County: 6.9 %Anson County6.9Vance County: 6.9 %Vance County6.9Pasquotank County: 6.6 %Pasquotank County6.6Mitchell County: 6.5 %Mitchell County6.5Northampton County: 6.5 %Northampton County6.5Graham County: 6.5 %Graham County6.5Jackson County: 6.4 %Jackson County6.4Rockingham County: 6.3 %Rockingham County6.3Robeson County: 6.3 %Robeson County6.3Nash County: 6.2 %Nash County6.2Yancey County: 6.1 %Yancey County6.1Pender County: 6 %Pender County6Wilson County: 6 %Wilson County6Chowan County: 5.9 %Chowan County5.9Dare County: 5.9 %Dare County5.9Rowan County: 5.9 %Rowan County5.9Onslow County: 5.8 %Onslow County5.8Cleveland County: 5.7 %Cleveland County5.7Caswell County: 5.7 %Caswell County5.7Greene County: 5.6 %Greene County5.6Franklin County: 5.6 %Franklin County5.6Rutherford County: 5.5 %Rutherford County5.5Beaufort County: 5.4 %Beaufort County5.4Ashe County: 5.4 %Ashe County5.4Wayne County: 5.4 %Wayne County5.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Washington County11.2-1.5 pts
2Scotland County10.1-0.7 pts
3Richmond County9.6-0.1 pts
4Gates County9-0.3 pts
5Watauga County9-0.4 pts
6Halifax County8.7-0.6 pts
7Bertie County8.4+1.9 pts
8Swain County8.3+0.8 pts
9Warren County8-1.8 pts
10Edgecombe County8-0.7 pts
11Cumberland County7.7-0.2 pts
12Pitt County7.6+0.1 pts
13Hoke County7.4+1 pts
14Lenoir County7.2+0.1 pts
15Martin County7-2.6 pts
16Anson County6.9+0.5 pts
17Vance County6.9-0.1 pts
18Pasquotank County6.6+0.8 pts
19Mitchell County6.5+0.2 pts
20Northampton County6.5-1.2 pts
21Graham County6.5-1.2 pts
22Jackson County6.4+0.4 pts
23Rockingham County6.3-0.2 pts
24Robeson County6.3-0.1 pts
25Nash County6.2-0.2 pts
26Yancey County6.1-1.5 pts
27Pender County6-0.4 pts
28Wilson County6-0.6 pts
29Chowan County5.9+1.6 pts
30Dare County5.9+0.8 pts
30Rowan County5.9-0.4 pts
32Onslow County5.8-0.7 pts
33Cleveland County5.7-0.7 pts
34Caswell County5.7-0.3 pts
35Greene County5.6+0.1 pts
36Franklin County5.6-0.3 pts
37Rutherford County5.5-0.5 pts
38Beaufort County5.4-0.2 pts
39Ashe County5.4+0.3 pts
40Wayne County5.4+0.4 pts
40Yadkin County5.4+0.2 pts
42Alleghany County5.40 pts
43Cherokee County5.4+0.4 pts
44Forsyth County5.3-0.3 pts
45Hertford County5.2-2 pts
45Sampson County5.2-0.5 pts
47Alexander County5.2-0.4 pts
47Brunswick County5.2+0.2 pts
49Tyrrell County5.1+1.2 pts
50Perquimans County50 pts
51Harnett County5-0.3 pts
52Surry County5+0.1 pts
53Wilkes County4.9-1.1 pts
54Alamance County4.9-0.1 pts
54Camden County4.9-0.8 pts
56Burke County4.8-1.2 pts
57Avery County4.8-0.2 pts
58Gaston County4.8-0.2 pts
59Caldwell County4.8-1 pts
60Guilford County4.7-0.5 pts
61New Hanover County4.7-0 pts
62Duplin County4.7-0.7 pts
63Columbus County4.7-1.1 pts
64McDowell County4.7-0.9 pts
65Moore County4.7+0.1 pts
66Stokes County4.6-0.8 pts
67Davie County4.5-0 pts
68Cabarrus County4.5-0.4 pts
68Craven County4.5-0.6 pts
70Pamlico County4.5-0.2 pts
71Granville County4.4-0.2 pts
72Iredell County4.4-0.2 pts
73Polk County4.3+0.1 pts
74Carteret County4.3-0.6 pts
75Bladen County4.3-1.2 pts
75Clay County4.3+0.3 pts
77Mecklenburg County4.2-0.3 pts
78Catawba County4.2-0.9 pts
79Durham County4.2-0.1 pts
79Union County4.2-0.1 pts
81Wake County4.2-0 pts
82Jones County4.1-0.6 pts
83Stanly County4.1-0.3 pts
84Davidson County4.1-0.3 pts
85Lee County4-1.1 pts
86Johnston County3.9+0.2 pts
87Person County3.9+0.1 pts
88Randolph County3.7-0.2 pts
89Orange County3.6-0.3 pts
89Transylvania County3.6-0.4 pts
91Lincoln County3.6-0.8 pts
92Buncombe County3.5-0.1 pts
93Haywood County3.4-0.2 pts
94Henderson County3.3-0.2 pts
95Chatham County3+0.3 pts
96Hyde County3-5.8 pts
97Currituck County2.9-0.3 pts
97Macon County2.9-0.5 pts
99Montgomery County2.9-0.2 pts
100Madison County2.6+0.8 pts

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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Washington County, with 11.2% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Madison County, with 2.6% in 2023.

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