Counties with the highest unemployment in North Carolina

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates North Carolina, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 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: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

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

46. Montgomery County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,971 people (381 unemployed)

46. Pitt County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 89,584 people (3,120 unemployed)

46. Cherokee County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,639 people (372 unemployed)

46. Caldwell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,597 people (1,249 unemployed)

46. Wayne County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,692 people (1,761 unemployed)

40. Harnett County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,240 people (2,003 unemployed)

40. Jackson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,437 people (708 unemployed)

40. Dare County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,648 people (666 unemployed)

40. Henderson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,142 people (1,967 unemployed)

40. Wilkes County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,570 people (913 unemployed)

40. Rockingham County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,811 people (1,401 unemployed)

36. Onslow County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 69,949 people (2,617 unemployed)

36. Anson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,028 people (375 unemployed)

36. Pasquotank County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,992 people (624 unemployed)

36. Polk County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,530 people (350 unemployed)

31. Guilford County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 257,307 people (9,835 unemployed)

31. Burke County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,109 people (1,510 unemployed)

31. Alleghany County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,020 people (151 unemployed)

31. Lee County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,254 people (960 unemployed)

31. Columbus County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,188 people (843 unemployed)

30. Haywood County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,139 people (1,168 unemployed)

26. Bladen County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,228 people (563 unemployed)

26. Hoke County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,431 people (813 unemployed)

26. Tyrrell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,199 people (48 unemployed)

26. Perquimans County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,972 people (199 unemployed)

24. Martin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,522 people (348 unemployed)

24. Washington County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,108 people (170 unemployed)

23. Brunswick County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 57,429 people (2,401 unemployed)

22. Nash County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,314 people (1,764 unemployed)

20. Northampton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,149 people (311 unemployed)

20. Cumberland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 129,550 people (5,725 unemployed)

15. Richmond County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,047 people (771 unemployed)

15. Halifax County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,981 people (862 unemployed)

15. Hertford County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,063 people (364 unemployed)

15. McDowell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,024 people (910 unemployed)

15. Bertie County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,643 people (299 unemployed)

12. Wilson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,722 people (1,557 unemployed)

12. Vance County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,515 people (753 unemployed)

12. Graham County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,791 people (129 unemployed)

11. Robeson County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,231 people (2,240 unemployed)

10. Hyde County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,636 people (79 unemployed)

8. Avery County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: -1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,985 people (403 unemployed)

8. Edgecombe County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,575 people (974 unemployed)

6. Rutherford County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,854 people (1,266 unemployed)

6. Yancey County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: -1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,289 people (440 unemployed)

5. Warren County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,011 people (328 unemployed)

4. Scotland County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,021 people (631 unemployed)

2. Madison County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: -0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +3.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,251 people (614 unemployed)

2. Buncombe County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: -1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +3.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 145,110 people (8,636 unemployed)

1. Mitchell County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: -1.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +4.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,424 people (467 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.