Counties in North Carolina by wages and salaries paid

Mecklenburg County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 100 counties in 2014, at $40.72 billion. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at $35.57 million. The median was $612.28 million and the figure for North Carolina was $201.6 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest40,722.6Mecklenburg County
Lowest35.6Tyrrell County
Median612.3100 counties
North Carolina201,604.7History

Map of counties, 2014

Alamance County: 2,326.9 USD millionAlexander County: 304.3 USD millionAlleghany County: 100.6 USD millionAnson County: 266.2 USD millionAshe County: 251.6 USD millionAvery County: 216.8 USD millionBeaufort County: 604 USD millionBertie County: 208.5 USD millionBladen County: 440.6 USD millionBrunswick County: 1,174 USD millionBuncombe County: 5,048.8 USD millionBurke County: 1,099.6 USD millionCabarrus County: 2,731.6 USD millionCaldwell County: 837.6 USD millionCamden County: 54.7 USD millionCarteret County: 778.4 USD millionCaswell County: 104.9 USD millionCatawba County: 3,387.6 USD millionChatham County: 538.7 USD millionCherokee County: 258.4 USD millionChowan County: 175 USD millionClay County: 63.2 USD millionCleveland County: 1,304.3 USD millionColumbus County: 574.1 USD millionCraven County: 2,181.2 USD millionCumberland County: 8,330.5 USD millionCurrituck County: 241.5 USD millionDare County: 638.1 USD millionDavidson County: 1,654.8 USD millionDavie County: 394.9 USD millionDuplin County: 668.5 USD millionDurham County: 13,685.9 USD millionEdgecombe County: 622.5 USD millionForsyth County: 9,370 USD millionFranklin County: 489.1 USD millionGaston County: 2,804 USD millionGates County: 50.1 USD millionGraham County: 74.5 USD millionGranville County: 885.2 USD millionGreene County: 138.7 USD millionGuilford County: 13,344.7 USD millionHalifax County: 568.7 USD millionHarnett County: 841.1 USD millionHaywood County: 620.6 USD millionHenderson County: 1,399.5 USD millionHertford County: 347.7 USD millionHoke County: 266.1 USD millionHyde County: 73.7 USD millionIredell County: 3,294.5 USD millionJackson County: 563.8 USD millionJohnston County: 1,742.1 USD millionJones County: 58.3 USD millionLee County: 1,003 USD millionLenoir County: 1,024.8 USD millionLincoln County: 814.1 USD millionMcDowell County: 562.2 USD millionMacon County: 387.3 USD millionMadison County: 129.3 USD millionMartin County: 286.5 USD millionMecklenburg County: 40,722.6 USD millionMitchell County: 179.6 USD millionMontgomery County: 333.7 USD millionMoore County: 1,325 USD millionNash County: 1,648.3 USD millionNew Hanover County: 4,593 USD millionNorthampton County: 187.1 USD millionOnslow County: 4,276.3 USD millionOrange County: 3,639.1 USD millionPamlico County: 102 USD millionPasquotank County: 650.9 USD millionPender County: 395.4 USD millionPerquimans County: 72 USD millionPerson County: 390.9 USD millionPitt County: 3,286.6 USD millionPolk County: 158.5 USD millionRandolph County: 1,626.7 USD millionRichmond County: 501.5 USD millionRobeson County: 1,335.3 USD millionRockingham County: 1,003.7 USD millionRowan County: 1,962 USD millionRutherford County: 642.6 USD millionSampson County: 651 USD millionScotland County: 445.7 USD millionStanly County: 660.8 USD millionStokes County: 239.7 USD millionSurry County: 990 USD millionSwain County: 226.8 USD millionTransylvania County: 297.8 USD millionTyrrell County: 35.6 USD millionUnion County: 2,542.2 USD millionVance County: 528.3 USD millionWake County: 27,810.1 USD millionWarren County: 113.3 USD millionWashington County: 105.2 USD millionWatauga County: 808.3 USD millionWayne County: 1,848.2 USD millionWilkes County: 768 USD millionWilson County: 1,630.9 USD millionYadkin County: 339.9 USD millionYancey County: 121.9 USD million
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 to 1,000
  • 1,000 to 2,300
  • 2,300 and over
USD million, 2014. 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, 2014

Mecklenburg County: 40,722.6 USD millionMecklenburg County40,722.6Wake County: 27,810.1 USD millionWake County27,810.1Durham County: 13,685.9 USD millionDurham County13,685.9Guilford County: 13,344.7 USD millionGuilford County13,344.7Forsyth County: 9,370 USD millionForsyth County9,370Cumberland County: 8,330.5 USD millionCumberland County8,330.5Buncombe County: 5,048.8 USD millionBuncombe County5,048.8New Hanover County: 4,593 USD millionNew Hanover County4,593Onslow County: 4,276.3 USD millionOnslow County4,276.3Orange County: 3,639.1 USD millionOrange County3,639.1Catawba County: 3,387.6 USD millionCatawba County3,387.6Iredell County: 3,294.5 USD millionIredell County3,294.5Pitt County: 3,286.6 USD millionPitt County3,286.6Gaston County: 2,804 USD millionGaston County2,804Cabarrus County: 2,731.6 USD millionCabarrus County2,731.6Union County: 2,542.2 USD millionUnion County2,542.2Alamance County: 2,326.9 USD millionAlamance County2,326.9Craven County: 2,181.2 USD millionCraven County2,181.2Rowan County: 1,962 USD millionRowan County1,962Wayne County: 1,848.2 USD millionWayne County1,848.2Johnston County: 1,742.1 USD millionJohnston County1,742.1Davidson County: 1,654.8 USD millionDavidson County1,654.8Nash County: 1,648.3 USD millionNash County1,648.3Wilson County: 1,630.9 USD millionWilson County1,630.9Randolph County: 1,626.7 USD millionRandolph County1,626.7Henderson County: 1,399.5 USD millionHenderson County1,399.5Robeson County: 1,335.3 USD millionRobeson County1,335.3Moore County: 1,325 USD millionMoore County1,325Cleveland County: 1,304.3 USD millionCleveland County1,304.3Brunswick County: 1,174 USD millionBrunswick County1,174Burke County: 1,099.6 USD millionBurke County1,099.6Lenoir County: 1,024.8 USD millionLenoir County1,024.8Rockingham County: 1,003.7 USD millionRockingham County1,003.7Lee County: 1,003 USD millionLee County1,003Surry County: 990 USD millionSurry County990Granville County: 885.2 USD millionGranville County885.2Harnett County: 841.1 USD millionHarnett County841.1Caldwell County: 837.6 USD millionCaldwell County837.6Lincoln County: 814.1 USD millionLincoln County814.1Watauga County: 808.3 USD millionWatauga County808.3Mecklenburg County: 40,722.6 USD millionMecklenburg County40,722.6Wake County: 27,810.1 USD millionWake County27,810.1Durham County: 13,685.9 USD millionDurham County13,685.9Guilford County: 13,344.7 USD millionGuilford County13,344.7Forsyth County: 9,370 USD millionForsyth County9,370Cumberland County: 8,330.5 USD millionCumberland County8,330.5Buncombe County: 5,048.8 USD millionBuncombe County5,048.8New Hanover County: 4,593 USD millionNew Hanover County4,593Onslow County: 4,276.3 USD millionOnslow County4,276.3Orange County: 3,639.1 USD millionOrange County3,639.1Catawba County: 3,387.6 USD millionCatawba County3,387.6Iredell County: 3,294.5 USD millionIredell County3,294.5Pitt County: 3,286.6 USD millionPitt County3,286.6Gaston County: 2,804 USD millionGaston County2,804Cabarrus County: 2,731.6 USD millionCabarrus County2,731.6Union County: 2,542.2 USD millionUnion County2,542.2Alamance County: 2,326.9 USD millionAlamance County2,326.9Craven County: 2,181.2 USD millionCraven County2,181.2Rowan County: 1,962 USD millionRowan County1,962Wayne County: 1,848.2 USD millionWayne County1,848.2Johnston County: 1,742.1 USD millionJohnston County1,742.1Davidson County: 1,654.8 USD millionDavidson County1,654.8Nash County: 1,648.3 USD millionNash County1,648.3Wilson County: 1,630.9 USD millionWilson County1,630.9Randolph County: 1,626.7 USD millionRandolph County1,626.7Henderson County: 1,399.5 USD millionHenderson County1,399.5Robeson County: 1,335.3 USD millionRobeson County1,335.3Moore County: 1,325 USD millionMoore County1,325Cleveland County: 1,304.3 USD millionCleveland County1,304.3Brunswick County: 1,174 USD millionBrunswick County1,174Burke County: 1,099.6 USD millionBurke County1,099.6Lenoir County: 1,024.8 USD millionLenoir County1,024.8Rockingham County: 1,003.7 USD millionRockingham County1,003.7Lee County: 1,003 USD millionLee County1,003Surry County: 990 USD millionSurry County990Granville County: 885.2 USD millionGranville County885.2Harnett County: 841.1 USD millionHarnett County841.1Caldwell County: 837.6 USD millionCaldwell County837.6Lincoln County: 814.1 USD millionLincoln County814.1Watauga County: 808.3 USD millionWatauga County808.3
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

RankCounties2014
USD million
Change on 2013
1Mecklenburg County40,722.6+7.4%
2Wake County27,810.1+5.8%
3Durham County13,685.9+6.8%
4Guilford County13,344.7+3.7%
5Forsyth County9,370+7.7%
6Cumberland County8,330.5-0.9%
7Buncombe County5,048.8+5.4%
8New Hanover County4,593+5.6%
9Onslow County4,276.3-0.1%
10Orange County3,639.1+4%
11Catawba County3,387.6+4.4%
12Iredell County3,294.5+9.2%
13Pitt County3,286.6+3.7%
14Gaston County2,804+4.5%
15Cabarrus County2,731.6+4.5%
16Union County2,542.2+8.2%
17Alamance County2,326.9+1.7%
18Craven County2,181.2+2.8%
19Rowan County1,962+5.2%
20Wayne County1,848.2-0.3%
21Johnston County1,742.1+4.3%
22Davidson County1,654.8+4.2%
23Nash County1,648.3+2%
24Wilson County1,630.9+4%
25Randolph County1,626.7+1.8%
26Henderson County1,399.5+3.2%
27Robeson County1,335.3+0.6%
28Moore County1,325+4.8%
29Cleveland County1,304.3+4%
30Brunswick County1,174+4.6%
31Burke County1,099.6+2%
32Lenoir County1,024.8+0.4%
33Rockingham County1,003.7+2.4%
34Lee County1,003+3.2%
35Surry County990+4.8%
36Granville County885.2+1.7%
37Harnett County841.1+4.5%
38Caldwell County837.6+1.4%
39Lincoln County814.1+3.9%
40Watauga County808.3+4.1%
41Carteret County778.4+3.8%
42Wilkes County768+4.2%
43Duplin County668.5+3.1%
44Stanly County660.8+0.2%
45Sampson County651-0%
46Pasquotank County650.9+1.5%
47Rutherford County642.6+3.2%
48Dare County638.1+2.3%
49Edgecombe County622.5-1.9%
50Haywood County620.6+2.4%
51Beaufort County604+2.4%
52Columbus County574.1-1.9%
53Halifax County568.7-1.4%
54Jackson County563.8+5.1%
55McDowell County562.2+8.4%
56Chatham County538.7+2.8%
57Vance County528.3+1.5%
58Richmond County501.5+3.5%
59Franklin County489.1+8.2%
60Scotland County445.7+6.6%
61Bladen County440.6+2.3%
62Pender County395.4+8.4%
63Davie County394.9+8.8%
64Person County390.9+2.1%
65Macon County387.3+5.3%
66Hertford County347.7+3.1%
67Yadkin County339.9-2.2%
68Montgomery County333.7+2.7%
69Alexander County304.3+4.3%
70Transylvania County297.8+4%
71Martin County286.5+2.7%
72Anson County266.2+4.5%
73Hoke County266.1-2.4%
74Cherokee County258.4+2.5%
75Ashe County251.6+1.1%
76Currituck County241.5+6.2%
77Stokes County239.7+3.7%
78Swain County226.8+9%
79Avery County216.8+5%
80Bertie County208.5+5.4%
81Northampton County187.1+4.3%
82Mitchell County179.6+0.8%
83Chowan County175+3.4%
84Polk County158.5+3.4%
85Greene County138.7+2.6%
86Madison County129.3+4.7%
87Yancey County121.9+6.3%
88Warren County113.3+4.3%
89Washington County105.2-1.9%
90Caswell County104.9+1%
91Pamlico County102+4.3%
92Alleghany County100.6+3.6%
93Graham County74.5-1.3%
94Hyde County73.7+5.8%
95Perquimans County72+2%
96Clay County63.2+5.9%
97Jones County58.3-8.8%
98Camden County54.7-5.4%
99Gates County50.1+7.2%
100Tyrrell County35.6-0.9%

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, 2014) [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, 2014. 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=2014. 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, 2014. 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=2014.

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, 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_carolina_2014,
  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, 2014}},
  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=2014. 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, 2014
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=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-carolina-counties?period=2014.
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 $40.72 billion in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Tyrrell County, with $35.57 million in 2014.

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