Counties with the highest unemployment rate in North Carolina

Written by:
August 8, 2022
State Archives of North Carolina // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the highest unemployment rate in North Carolina

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of June of this year, national unemployment is at 3.5%, 0.1% lower than in May, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.8% in Minnesota, to 4.9% in New Mexico and 5.5% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in North Carolina using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in June 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.

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Indy beetle // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Duplin County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 24,384 (998 unemployed)
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Indy beetle // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Lenoir County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 27,132 (1,114 unemployed)
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Canva

#48. Alleghany County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 4,427 (182 unemployed)
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Limozine // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Polk County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 9,435 (388 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Gaston County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 114,364 (4,741 unemployed)

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KAD Photo // Shutterstock

#45. Moore County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 41,301 (1,713 unemployed)
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#44. Forsyth County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 187,620 (7,788 unemployed)
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Warren LeMay // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Alamance County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 83,106 (3,452 unemployed)
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State Archives of North Carolina Raleigh, NC // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Sampson County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 28,176 (1,175 unemployed)
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David Byron Keener // Shutterstock

#41. Beaufort County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 20,107 (856 unemployed)

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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Wilkes County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 26,917 (1,165 unemployed)
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NatalieMaynor from Jackson, Mississippi, USA // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Caswell County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 9,816 (428 unemployed)
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OptimumPx // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Cleveland County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 48,607 (2,125 unemployed)
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Indy beetle // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Wayne County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 51,804 (2,275 unemployed)
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Bethbrownebooks // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Chowan County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 5,773 (256 unemployed)

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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Lee County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 26,298 (1,193 unemployed)
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Nikola Spasic Photography // Shutterstock

#34. Pitt County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 88,225 (4,036 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Mitchell County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 5,975 (274 unemployed)
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Indy beetle // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Rockingham County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 39,657 (1,820 unemployed)
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George Dukin // Shutterstock

#31. Clay County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 4,031 (185 unemployed)

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James R Poston // Shutterstock

#30. Cherokee County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 11,024 (509 unemployed)
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Indy beetle // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Harnett County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 54,651 (2,527 unemployed)
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Canva

#28. Guilford County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 261,445 (12,096 unemployed)
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Anya Douglas // Shutterstock

#27. Onslow County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 67,379 (3,192 unemployed)
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#26. Pasquotank County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 16,653 (806 unemployed)

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Alanteitleman // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Martin County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 8,628 (419 unemployed)
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Susan C. Griffin // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Perquimans County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 4,972 (243 unemployed)
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Canva

#23. Hyde County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 1,980 (98 unemployed)
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HarmonyReignPope // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Tyrrell County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 1,444 (72 unemployed)
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ncwetlands.org// Wikimedia Commons

#21. Bladen County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 14,130 (706 unemployed)

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gerrydincher // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Columbus County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 23,380 (1,200 unemployed)
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iofoto // Shutterstock

#19. Brunswick County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 58,294 (3,003 unemployed)
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Indy beetle // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Northampton County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 7,212 (375 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Anson County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 10,193 (545 unemployed)
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Theresaperry44 // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Bertie County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 7,359 (397 unemployed)

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CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Hoke County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 20,513 (1,139 unemployed)
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Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock

#14. Rutherford County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 24,701 (1,388 unemployed)
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digidreamgrafix // Shutterstock

#13. Graham County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 3,099 (177 unemployed)
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Ymblanter // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Washington County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 4,415 (254 unemployed)
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Boston Public Library // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Hertford County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 8,504 (494 unemployed)

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BrendaByrneGreene // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Nash County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 41,923 (2,449 unemployed)
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#9. Cumberland County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 129,292 (7,670 unemployed)
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Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Wilson County

- Current Unemployment rate: 6.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 33,232 (2,011 unemployed)
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Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Richmond County

- Current Unemployment rate: 6.1%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 16,620 (1,019 unemployed)
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Cecouchman // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Halifax County

- Current Unemployment rate: 6.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 19,233 (1,256 unemployed)

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Katangais // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Robeson County

- Current Unemployment rate: 6.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 48,639 (3,194 unemployed)
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KimWrenn // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Vance County

- Current Unemployment rate: 6.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
-Total Labor Force: 16,925 (1,155 unemployed)
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Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Warren County

- Current Unemployment rate: 7.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 6,594 (460 unemployed)
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Scotland County

- Current Unemployment rate: 7.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
-Total Labor Force: 11,183 (882 unemployed)
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State Archives of North Carolina // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Edgecombe County

- Current Unemployment rate: 8.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 20,202 (1,609 unemployed)

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