Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid

Mecklenburg County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 100 counties in 2013, at $37.93 billion. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at $35.88 million. The median was $597.99 million and the figure for North Carolina was $192.27 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest37,930Mecklenburg County
Lowest35.9Tyrrell County
Median598100 counties
North Carolina192,265.5History

Map of counties, 2013

Alamance County: 2,289.1 USD millionAlexander County: 291.9 USD millionAlleghany County: 97 USD millionAnson County: 254.8 USD millionAshe County: 249 USD millionAvery County: 206.6 USD millionBeaufort County: 589.8 USD millionBertie County: 197.8 USD millionBladen County: 430.7 USD millionBrunswick County: 1,122.7 USD millionBuncombe County: 4,788.5 USD millionBurke County: 1,077.6 USD millionCabarrus County: 2,613.1 USD millionCaldwell County: 825.7 USD millionCamden County: 57.8 USD millionCarteret County: 750.1 USD millionCaswell County: 103.9 USD millionCatawba County: 3,245.3 USD millionChatham County: 523.8 USD millionCherokee County: 252.1 USD millionChowan County: 169.2 USD millionClay County: 59.7 USD millionCleveland County: 1,254.7 USD millionColumbus County: 585.4 USD millionCraven County: 2,122 USD millionCumberland County: 8,409.4 USD millionCurrituck County: 227.5 USD millionDare County: 623.6 USD millionDavidson County: 1,588.3 USD millionDavie County: 363.1 USD millionDuplin County: 648.5 USD millionDurham County: 12,815.3 USD millionEdgecombe County: 634.7 USD millionForsyth County: 8,696.5 USD millionFranklin County: 452 USD millionGaston County: 2,683.8 USD millionGates County: 46.7 USD millionGraham County: 75.5 USD millionGranville County: 870.8 USD millionGreene County: 135.3 USD millionGuilford County: 12,863.7 USD millionHalifax County: 577.1 USD millionHarnett County: 805.2 USD millionHaywood County: 606.2 USD millionHenderson County: 1,355.9 USD millionHertford County: 337.2 USD millionHoke County: 272.6 USD millionHyde County: 69.6 USD millionIredell County: 3,015.6 USD millionJackson County: 536.4 USD millionJohnston County: 1,670.8 USD millionJones County: 63.8 USD millionLee County: 971.7 USD millionLenoir County: 1,020.9 USD millionLincoln County: 783.5 USD millionMcDowell County: 518.6 USD millionMacon County: 367.9 USD millionMadison County: 123.5 USD millionMartin County: 278.9 USD millionMecklenburg County: 37,930 USD millionMitchell County: 178.2 USD millionMontgomery County: 324.9 USD millionMoore County: 1,263.8 USD millionNash County: 1,616.1 USD millionNew Hanover County: 4,351 USD millionNorthampton County: 179.3 USD millionOnslow County: 4,282.4 USD millionOrange County: 3,499.5 USD millionPamlico County: 97.7 USD millionPasquotank County: 641.4 USD millionPender County: 364.9 USD millionPerquimans County: 70.5 USD millionPerson County: 383.1 USD millionPitt County: 3,169.5 USD millionPolk County: 153.4 USD millionRandolph County: 1,598.5 USD millionRichmond County: 484.6 USD millionRobeson County: 1,327 USD millionRockingham County: 980.4 USD millionRowan County: 1,864.5 USD millionRutherford County: 622.8 USD millionSampson County: 651.3 USD millionScotland County: 418.2 USD millionStanly County: 659.6 USD millionStokes County: 231.1 USD millionSurry County: 944.6 USD millionSwain County: 208.2 USD millionTransylvania County: 286.4 USD millionTyrrell County: 35.9 USD millionUnion County: 2,350.2 USD millionVance County: 520.7 USD millionWake County: 26,293.6 USD millionWarren County: 108.6 USD millionWashington County: 107.3 USD millionWatauga County: 776.5 USD millionWayne County: 1,854.2 USD millionWilkes County: 736.9 USD millionWilson County: 1,568.3 USD millionYadkin County: 347.5 USD millionYancey County: 114.7 USD million
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 to 1,000
  • 1,000 to 2,200
  • 2,200 and over
USD million, 2013. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2013

Mecklenburg County: 37,930 USD millionMecklenburg County37,930Wake County: 26,293.6 USD millionWake County26,293.6Guilford County: 12,863.7 USD millionGuilford County12,863.7Durham County: 12,815.3 USD millionDurham County12,815.3Forsyth County: 8,696.5 USD millionForsyth County8,696.5Cumberland County: 8,409.4 USD millionCumberland County8,409.4Buncombe County: 4,788.5 USD millionBuncombe County4,788.5New Hanover County: 4,351 USD millionNew Hanover County4,351Onslow County: 4,282.4 USD millionOnslow County4,282.4Orange County: 3,499.5 USD millionOrange County3,499.5Catawba County: 3,245.3 USD millionCatawba County3,245.3Pitt County: 3,169.5 USD millionPitt County3,169.5Iredell County: 3,015.6 USD millionIredell County3,015.6Gaston County: 2,683.8 USD millionGaston County2,683.8Cabarrus County: 2,613.1 USD millionCabarrus County2,613.1Union County: 2,350.2 USD millionUnion County2,350.2Alamance County: 2,289.1 USD millionAlamance County2,289.1Craven County: 2,122 USD millionCraven County2,122Rowan County: 1,864.5 USD millionRowan County1,864.5Wayne County: 1,854.2 USD millionWayne County1,854.2Johnston County: 1,670.8 USD millionJohnston County1,670.8Nash County: 1,616.1 USD millionNash County1,616.1Randolph County: 1,598.5 USD millionRandolph County1,598.5Davidson County: 1,588.3 USD millionDavidson County1,588.3Wilson County: 1,568.3 USD millionWilson County1,568.3Henderson County: 1,355.9 USD millionHenderson County1,355.9Robeson County: 1,327 USD millionRobeson County1,327Moore County: 1,263.8 USD millionMoore County1,263.8Cleveland County: 1,254.7 USD millionCleveland County1,254.7Brunswick County: 1,122.7 USD millionBrunswick County1,122.7Burke County: 1,077.6 USD millionBurke County1,077.6Lenoir County: 1,020.9 USD millionLenoir County1,020.9Rockingham County: 980.4 USD millionRockingham County980.4Lee County: 971.7 USD millionLee County971.7Surry County: 944.6 USD millionSurry County944.6Granville County: 870.8 USD millionGranville County870.8Caldwell County: 825.7 USD millionCaldwell County825.7Harnett County: 805.2 USD millionHarnett County805.2Lincoln County: 783.5 USD millionLincoln County783.5Watauga County: 776.5 USD millionWatauga County776.5Mecklenburg County: 37,930 USD millionMecklenburg County37,930Wake County: 26,293.6 USD millionWake County26,293.6Guilford County: 12,863.7 USD millionGuilford County12,863.7Durham County: 12,815.3 USD millionDurham County12,815.3Forsyth County: 8,696.5 USD millionForsyth County8,696.5Cumberland County: 8,409.4 USD millionCumberland County8,409.4Buncombe County: 4,788.5 USD millionBuncombe County4,788.5New Hanover County: 4,351 USD millionNew Hanover County4,351Onslow County: 4,282.4 USD millionOnslow County4,282.4Orange County: 3,499.5 USD millionOrange County3,499.5Catawba County: 3,245.3 USD millionCatawba County3,245.3Pitt County: 3,169.5 USD millionPitt County3,169.5Iredell County: 3,015.6 USD millionIredell County3,015.6Gaston County: 2,683.8 USD millionGaston County2,683.8Cabarrus County: 2,613.1 USD millionCabarrus County2,613.1Union County: 2,350.2 USD millionUnion County2,350.2Alamance County: 2,289.1 USD millionAlamance County2,289.1Craven County: 2,122 USD millionCraven County2,122Rowan County: 1,864.5 USD millionRowan County1,864.5Wayne County: 1,854.2 USD millionWayne County1,854.2Johnston County: 1,670.8 USD millionJohnston County1,670.8Nash County: 1,616.1 USD millionNash County1,616.1Randolph County: 1,598.5 USD millionRandolph County1,598.5Davidson County: 1,588.3 USD millionDavidson County1,588.3Wilson County: 1,568.3 USD millionWilson County1,568.3Henderson County: 1,355.9 USD millionHenderson County1,355.9Robeson County: 1,327 USD millionRobeson County1,327Moore County: 1,263.8 USD millionMoore County1,263.8Cleveland County: 1,254.7 USD millionCleveland County1,254.7Brunswick County: 1,122.7 USD millionBrunswick County1,122.7Burke County: 1,077.6 USD millionBurke County1,077.6Lenoir County: 1,020.9 USD millionLenoir County1,020.9Rockingham County: 980.4 USD millionRockingham County980.4Lee County: 971.7 USD millionLee County971.7Surry County: 944.6 USD millionSurry County944.6Granville County: 870.8 USD millionGranville County870.8Caldwell County: 825.7 USD millionCaldwell County825.7Harnett County: 805.2 USD millionHarnett County805.2Lincoln County: 783.5 USD millionLincoln County783.5Watauga County: 776.5 USD millionWatauga County776.5
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013
USD million
Change on 2012
1Mecklenburg County37,930+4.7%
2Wake County26,293.6+4.6%
3Guilford County12,863.7+2.9%
4Durham County12,815.3+3.5%
5Forsyth County8,696.5-0.2%
6Cumberland County8,409.4-1.5%
7Buncombe County4,788.5+3.6%
8New Hanover County4,351+3.7%
9Onslow County4,282.4-1%
10Orange County3,499.5+4.5%
11Catawba County3,245.3+2.2%
12Pitt County3,169.5+1.9%
13Iredell County3,015.6+3.2%
14Gaston County2,683.8+4.4%
15Cabarrus County2,613.1+5.7%
16Union County2,350.2+5%
17Alamance County2,289.1+1.6%
18Craven County2,122-1.3%
19Rowan County1,864.5-1.6%
20Wayne County1,854.2-0.4%
21Johnston County1,670.8+3.6%
22Nash County1,616.1+0.5%
23Randolph County1,598.5+2.5%
24Davidson County1,588.3+3.3%
25Wilson County1,568.3-2.3%
26Henderson County1,355.9+3%
27Robeson County1,327+2.6%
28Moore County1,263.8+2.6%
29Cleveland County1,254.7+2%
30Brunswick County1,122.7+4.6%
31Burke County1,077.6+2.1%
32Lenoir County1,020.9+1.7%
33Rockingham County980.4-3.3%
34Lee County971.7-1%
35Surry County944.6+0.8%
36Granville County870.8+0.8%
37Caldwell County825.7+0.8%
38Harnett County805.2+4.2%
39Lincoln County783.5+4.8%
40Watauga County776.5+2.4%
41Carteret County750.1+2%
42Wilkes County736.9-1%
43Stanly County659.6+3%
44Sampson County651.3+1.9%
45Duplin County648.5+1.7%
46Pasquotank County641.4+0.5%
47Edgecombe County634.7-9.3%
48Dare County623.6+3.3%
49Rutherford County622.8-3.6%
50Haywood County606.2+0.5%
51Beaufort County589.8-1.3%
52Columbus County585.4+4.5%
53Halifax County577.1+1%
54Jackson County536.4+5.1%
55Chatham County523.8+3.5%
56Vance County520.7-0%
57McDowell County518.6+3.4%
58Richmond County484.6-0.1%
59Franklin County452+2.5%
60Bladen County430.7+0.7%
61Scotland County418.2+1%
62Person County383.1+1.8%
63Macon County367.9+1.3%
64Pender County364.9+5.3%
65Davie County363.1+8.3%
66Yadkin County347.5+7.4%
67Hertford County337.2+1.8%
68Montgomery County324.9+6.9%
69Alexander County291.9+2.4%
70Transylvania County286.4+1.1%
71Martin County278.9+6.6%
72Hoke County272.6+8.5%
73Anson County254.8-1.4%
74Cherokee County252.1-0.8%
75Ashe County249+0.7%
76Stokes County231.1+0.6%
77Currituck County227.5+7.6%
78Swain County208.2+3.2%
79Avery County206.6+2%
80Bertie County197.8-0.4%
81Northampton County179.3+2.5%
82Mitchell County178.2+1.4%
83Chowan County169.2+1%
84Polk County153.4+3.2%
85Greene County135.3-0.7%
86Madison County123.5+2.1%
87Yancey County114.7-1.3%
88Warren County108.6-10.1%
89Washington County107.3+4.8%
90Caswell County103.9+0.9%
91Pamlico County97.7-0.9%
92Alleghany County97+6.6%
93Graham County75.5+1.1%
94Perquimans County70.5+3.1%
95Hyde County69.6-1.1%
96Jones County63.8+0.5%
97Clay County59.7+1.1%
98Camden County57.8-13.4%
99Gates County46.7-0.5%
100Tyrrell County35.9+5.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.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). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2013) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2013. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2013. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2013. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2013 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2013,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2013}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2013. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2013
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2013.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Mecklenburg County, with $37.93 billion in 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Tyrrell County, with $35.88 million in 2013.

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, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings