Counties with the highest unemployment in North Carolina

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion's share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in North Carolina, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Biden's economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration's impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

"Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we've had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave," he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

"I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings," Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a "modest drag" on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it's unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in North Carolina.

#50. Montgomery County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,122 people (416 unemployed)

#49. Sampson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,842 people (990 unemployed)

#48. Pitt County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 89,900 people (3,328 unemployed)

#47. Beaufort County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,209 people (721 unemployed)

#46. Caldwell County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,776 people (1,359 unemployed)

#45. Wayne County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 50,893 people (1,922 unemployed)

#44. Transylvania County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,798 people (579 unemployed)

#43. Pasquotank County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 17,034 people (660 unemployed)

#42. Columbus County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,160 people (874 unemployed)

#41. Rockingham County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,017 people (1,525 unemployed)

#40. Harnett County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,911 people (2,164 unemployed)

#39. Anson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 10,103 people (400 unemployed)

#38. Cherokee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,756 people (427 unemployed)

#37. Wilkes County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,584 people (1,027 unemployed)

#36. Burke County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,281 people (1,609 unemployed)

#35. Onslow County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 70,021 people (2,798 unemployed)

#34. Guilford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 258,256 people (10,380 unemployed)

#33. Alleghany County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,117 people (169 unemployed)

#32. Polk County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,607 people (394 unemployed)

#31. Lee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 25,303 people (1,048 unemployed)

#30. Hyde County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 1,734 people (73 unemployed)

#29. Washington County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,190 people (178 unemployed)

#28. Henderson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,573 people (2,310 unemployed)

#27. Bladen County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,196 people (611 unemployed)

#26. Haywood County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,320 people (1,310 unemployed)

#25. Perquimans County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,007 people (219 unemployed)

#24. Hoke County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,525 people (894 unemployed)

#23. Graham County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,839 people (127 unemployed)

#22. Brunswick County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 58,078 people (2,604 unemployed)

#21. Northampton County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,171 people (330 unemployed)

#20. Martin County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 8,629 people (397 unemployed)

#19. Nash County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,543 people (1,905 unemployed)

#18. Cumberland County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 129,861 people (6,050 unemployed)

#17. Hertford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,110 people (391 unemployed)

#16. Bertie County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,655 people (325 unemployed)

#15. Richmond County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,126 people (832 unemployed)

#14. Halifax County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 19,060 people (946 unemployed)

#13. Robeson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,446 people (2,382 unemployed)

#12. Vance County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,565 people (843 unemployed)

#11. Wilson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,610 people (1,711 unemployed)

#10. McDowell County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,319 people (1,062 unemployed)

#9. Edgecombe County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 19,683 people (1,051 unemployed)

#8. Warren County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,111 people (347 unemployed)

#7. Rutherford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,006 people (1,379 unemployed)

#6. Scotland County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,070 people (652 unemployed)

#5. Yancey County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 2.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,480 people (522 unemployed)

#4. Avery County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,897 people (504 unemployed)

#3. Madison County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,328 people (677 unemployed)

#2. Buncombe County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 3.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 4.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 147,359 people (10,621 unemployed)

#1. Mitchell County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 5.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,643 people (591 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.