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North Carolina

Population 10,730,404
6 Sources Updated September 10, 2026
10.7M
Population
334,922,499 U.S.
$72,388
Median Income
$80,734 national
$844.2B
GDP (current $), change real
3.7%
Unemployment
4.0% national
Community Data / United States / North Carolina

County Map

Click a county to view its economic profile

Demographics & Population

Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 · 5-Year Estimates

Household Income

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$72,388
Per Capita
$41,385
Mean Household
$101,208
Poverty Rate
13%

Age & Race / Ethnicity

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B01001, B02001, B03003
65+: 17.2% (1,845,563 residents) 55-64: 12.8% (1,370,847 residents) 35-54: 25.4% (2,725,438 residents) 18-34: 22.9% (2,453,636 residents) Under 18: 21.8% (2,334,920 residents) 39 Median Age
Cohorts
Under 18 · 21.8%
18-34 · 22.9%
35-54 · 25.4%
55-64 · 12.8%
65+ · 17.2%
Race & Ethnicity
White61.8%
Black or African American20.3%
Two or More Races8.3%
Some Other Race5.2%
Asian3.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native1.1%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander0.1%
Hispanic or Latino(any race)11.3%
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnic category and overlaps with the race categories above.

Educational Attainment

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
90.1%
High School+
National: 89.6%
+0.5 pts
35.7%
Bachelor's+
National: 35.7%
0.0 pts
13.5%
Graduate+
National: 14.1%
0.6 pts

Employment Overview

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
10,730,404
Population
5,336,863
Labor Force
Employed
5,084,958
Unemployment Rate BLS LAUS 2024 annual
3.7%
2025 is not shown for North Carolina: a state annual average needs all 12 months and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has published 11. County pages draw on the separate annual series and may show 2025.
Mean Commute 1 min below national avg
25.1 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
16.3%
Labor Force and Employed are ACS 5-Year survey estimates; the Unemployment Rate above comes from BLS LAUS, a separate monthly survey with its own methodology. The two won't reconcile by subtracting one from the other.
North Carolina's median household income sits 10% below the national median. At 13%, its poverty rate runs 0.5 pts above the ~12.5% national level, relevant for federal funding eligibility narratives. Bachelor's-or-higher attainment of 35.7% exceeds the national average of 35.7%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release, older news reports may cite prior vintages.
Key Takeaways
  • Income gap: Households earn meaningfully less than the national median, affecting retail demand, housing absorption, and tax base statewide.
  • Broadly in line with U.S. norms across income, poverty, education, and age.

Economy & Industry

Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW · Bureau of Economic Analysis

$844.2B
Gross Domestic Product · 2024
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis · CAGDP2 Regional GDP
94.326
Cost of Living - Below Avg

Top Private-Sector Industries by Employment

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics · Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages 2025 Annual · Private sector only, with government shown below
IndustryEmployment% of Top SectorsAvg Wage
1Health Care and Social Assistance		 601,703 17.4%
$65,012
2Retail Trade		 526,628 15.2%
$40,383
3Manufacturing		 461,466 13.3%
$78,202
4Accommodation and Food Services		 459,604 13.3%
$26,165
5Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services		 334,993 9.7%
$117,215
6Administrative and Support and Waste Management		 323,694 9.3%
$58,653
7Finance and Insurance		 234,066 6.8%
$138,257
8Wholesale Trade		 208,142 6.0%
$104,128
9Transportation and Warehousing		 183,284 5.3%
$61,949
10Other Services (except Public Administration)		 132,211 3.8%
$50,744
Government employment · context only
721,410

Public-sector jobs are not in the table above and are not part of any share or location quotient on this page. Both are measured on the private economy only, 4,219,973 private jobs in 2025: every location quotient divides by that total, and the % of Top Sectors column divides by the sectors listed above. Private employment is the standard basis for measuring industry concentration because government employment mostly serves the resident population rather than an outside market. Nothing on this card is expected to add up with the government figure.

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Key Takeaways
  • Largest private-sector industry: Health Care and Social Assistance employs 601,703 workers (17.4% of the tracked sectors), at an average wage of $65,012. Every industry figure on this page is private sector; government employs a further 721,410 and is counted separately.
  • Economic scale: State GDP of $844.2B (2024).
  • Wage stratification: Finance and Insurance averages $138,257 while Accommodation and Food Services averages $26,165, a 5.3x spread in the same economy, with implications for workforce development and talent strategy.
Source: BLS QCEW + BEA Regional GDP (CAGDP2).

Industry Concentration

Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.

Chart source: BLS QCEW · broad NAICS supersector · private sector · Location Quotient vs. national private-sector employment share. The same supersector axes appear on every profile, so the shape can be compared across geographies.
Concentrated Industries
List source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector · private sector · Location Quotient vs. national private-sector employment share.
Same source and same private-sector basis as the Top Industries table above. These sit at a finer level than the chart's supersector axes, so the two sets of values are not directly comparable. The sub-sector view surfaces specialization the supersector view masks, such as Textile Mills here.
Textile Mills
7.89x
20,320
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing
2.65x
27,940
Electrical Equipment, Appliance Manufacturing
1.80x
24,738
Textile Product Mills
1.75x
5,140
Chemical Manufacturing
1.69x
47,758
Forestry and Logging
1.63x
2,368
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
1.59x
35,283
Apparel Manufacturing
1.54x
3,850

Attraction Opportunities - Below-Average Industries

LQ < 0.5, below-average employment, screened against industrial power cost. Source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector
0.20x
Pipeline Transportation
360 employed
0.23x
Water Transportation
496 employed
0.25x
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing
872 employed
0.33x
Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry
3,912 employed
0.34x
Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation
6,026 employed
0.44x
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation
423 employed
0.44x
Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
5,093 employed
Screened on industrial power cost only. Industrial electricity in North Carolina costs 7.8¢/kWh against 8.62¢/kWh nationally (2025). Land area and freight access are not assessed at state level. Source: EIA.
Key Takeaways
  • Top specialization: Textile Mills concentrates at 7.89x the national norm, top-decile concentration, the kind of signature sector that defines a region's economic identity.
  • Cluster depth: 8 sub-sectors register LQ ≥ 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base across the state.
  • Attraction whitespace: 7 sub-sectors register LQ < 0.5, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Source: BLS QCEW sub-sector Location Quotients.
Industry Employment Composition
North Carolina's Top Sectors by Workforce Share
Each rectangle's area is proportional to that sector's share of the top private supersectors. Hover for exact employment.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2025 Annual · Private sector, NAICS supersectors

Housing & Affordability

Census ACS · HUD Fair Market Rents FY2026

Housing Overview

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$288,900
Median Home Value vs 2019
$1,228
Rent/Mo
66.6%
Owner-Occ
12.5%
Vacancy
4.0x
Home Value to Income Ratio
vs. ~4.1x national average

HUD Fair Market Rents (Statewide)

Renter-household-weighted average across 100 Fair Market Rent areas · Source: HUD · Fair Market Rents FY2026 · Affordability threshold and renter cost burden from Census ACS B25119, B25070
Studio
$1,172/mo$638 to $1,524
1 Bedroom
$1,244/mo$705 to $1,674
2 Bedroom
$1,410/mo$925 to $1,835
3 Bedroom
$1,792/mo$1,109 to $2,376
4 Bedroom
$2,215/mo$1,225 to $3,078
30% of monthly median renter household income (~$1,200/mo, from a renter median of $48,010) · rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.
Measured: 44.7% of renter households already pay 30% or more of income on rent, and 21.6% pay 50% or more.
Key Takeaways
  • In line with national: Home value to income ratio of 4.0x sits near the ~4.1x national average; affordability is neither a clear advantage nor a recruitment friction.
  • Elevated vacancy: 12.5% vacancy rate; potential redevelopment opportunity.
  • Affordable rent tiers: 1 of 5 HUD Fair Market Rent bedroom sizes sit below what a household on the median renter income of $48,010 can pay without cost burden (~$1,200/mo), and 44.7% of renter households are measured as cost-burdened.
Source: Census ACS housing tables.

Workforce Pipeline

Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition

Labor Market Overview

Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Tables B01001, B23025, B08303, B08301
6,549,921
Working Age (18-64) vs 2019
Labor force participation rate: 64.8% of population aged 18+ 65% Participation (18+)
vs 2019
Mean Commute 1 min below national avg
25.1 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
16.3%

Education & Talent Pipeline

Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · College Scorecard
Bachelor's+
35.7%
HS Diploma+
90.1%
6 Largest Institutions by Credentials Awarded
Degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded last academic year (College Scorecard).
North Carolina State University at Raleigh 10,279/yr
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 9,997/yr
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 8,666/yr
East Carolina University 6,984/yr
Duke University 6,863/yr
Wake Technical Community College 6,278/yr

Aging Workforce

Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
20.9%
55-64 of working-age population (18-64)
Same cohort is 12.8% of total population, the basis used in the Demographics cohort chart.
Elevated retirement risk, above the 20% threshold. Succession planning recommended.

Workforce by Occupation

Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table C24010 · Civilian employed population 16+
Management / Professional
42.6%
Service
15.4%
Sales & Office
19.6%
Construction / Maint.
8.7%
Production / Transport
13.8%
Bars are drawn on a 0% to 60% axis, so bar length is proportional to actual share. Labels give each group's share of 5,084,958 employed workers.
Key Takeaways
  • Healthy participation: 64.8% of the population aged 18+ is in the labor force, reflecting a steady, available workforce statewide.
Source: ACS workforce data.

County Profiles

100 counties in North Carolina

Alamance County FIPS 37001 Alexander County FIPS 37003 Alleghany County FIPS 37005 Anson County FIPS 37007 Ashe County FIPS 37009 Avery County FIPS 37011 Beaufort County FIPS 37013 Bertie County FIPS 37015 Bladen County FIPS 37017 Brunswick County FIPS 37019 Buncombe County FIPS 37021 Burke County FIPS 37023 Cabarrus County FIPS 37025 Caldwell County FIPS 37027 Camden County FIPS 37029 Carteret County FIPS 37031 Caswell County FIPS 37033 Catawba County FIPS 37035 Chatham County FIPS 37037 Cherokee County FIPS 37039 Chowan County FIPS 37041 Clay County FIPS 37043 Cleveland County FIPS 37045 Columbus County FIPS 37047 Craven County FIPS 37049 Cumberland County FIPS 37051 Currituck County FIPS 37053 Dare County FIPS 37055 Davidson County FIPS 37057 Davie County FIPS 37059 Duplin County FIPS 37061 Durham County FIPS 37063 Edgecombe County FIPS 37065 Forsyth County FIPS 37067 Franklin County FIPS 37069 Gaston County FIPS 37071 Gates County FIPS 37073 Graham County FIPS 37075 Granville County FIPS 37077 Greene County FIPS 37079 Guilford County FIPS 37081 Halifax County FIPS 37083 Harnett County FIPS 37085 Haywood County FIPS 37087 Henderson County FIPS 37089 Hertford County FIPS 37091 Hoke County FIPS 37093 Hyde County FIPS 37095 Iredell County FIPS 37097 Jackson County FIPS 37099 Johnston County FIPS 37101 Jones County FIPS 37103 Lee County FIPS 37105 Lenoir County FIPS 37107 Lincoln County FIPS 37109 Macon County FIPS 37113 Madison County FIPS 37115 Martin County FIPS 37117 McDowell County FIPS 37111 Mecklenburg County FIPS 37119 Mitchell County FIPS 37121 Montgomery County FIPS 37123 Moore County FIPS 37125 Nash County FIPS 37127 New Hanover County FIPS 37129 Northampton County FIPS 37131 Onslow County FIPS 37133 Orange County FIPS 37135 Pamlico County FIPS 37137 Pasquotank County FIPS 37139 Pender County FIPS 37141 Perquimans County FIPS 37143 Person County FIPS 37145 Pitt County FIPS 37147 Polk County FIPS 37149 Randolph County FIPS 37151 Richmond County FIPS 37153 Robeson County FIPS 37155 Rockingham County FIPS 37157 Rowan County FIPS 37159 Rutherford County FIPS 37161 Sampson County FIPS 37163 Scotland County FIPS 37165 Stanly County FIPS 37167 Stokes County FIPS 37169 Surry County FIPS 37171 Swain County FIPS 37173 Transylvania County FIPS 37175 Tyrrell County FIPS 37177 Union County FIPS 37179 Vance County FIPS 37181 Wake County FIPS 37183 Warren County FIPS 37185 Washington County FIPS 37187 Watauga County FIPS 37189 Wayne County FIPS 37191 Wilkes County FIPS 37193 Wilson County FIPS 37195 Yadkin County FIPS 37197 Yancey County FIPS 37199

AI Insights

Sample output. Pulse AI analysis draws on 6 federal data sources.

Sample AI Insight

North Carolina shows strong potential for textile mills attraction, with a 7.89x concentration and 20,320 jobs in this sub-sector.

Cluster depth across textile mills, furniture and related product manufacturing, and electrical equipment, appliance manufacturing creates supply-chain attraction leverage, a structural advantage for industrial recruitment.

Industry Shift Analysis

Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100

Prospect Match Scores

Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100
Illustrative example

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Data Sources

Updated from official federal government data.

Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
USAspending.govFY2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Key economic and demographic figures for North Carolina, from federal data sources.

What is the population of North Carolina?

10,730,404 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).

What is the median household income in North Carolina?

$72,388 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in North Carolina?

3.7% (2024 annual average, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS).

What is the GDP of North Carolina?

$844.2B (BEA CAGDP2 (Regional)).