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News Release Information

24-541-ATL
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

County Employment and Wages in North Carolina — Third Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 12 of the 14 largest counties in North Carolina from September 2022 to September 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Cabarrus County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.7 percent, followed by Iredell County (+3.5 percent) and Wake County (+3.0 percent). (See chart1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 309 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hall, GA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+5.4 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.3 percent).

Among the 14 largest counties in North Carolina, employment was highest in Mecklenburg County (780,800) in September 2023. Within Mecklenburg County’s private industry, finance and insurance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 14 largest North Carolina counties accounted for 62.3 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 72.9 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 86 counties in North Carolina with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 86 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Ten of North Carolina’s largest counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Durham County had the largest gain (+3.8 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among North Carolina’s other nine large counties ranged from 1.3 percent to 0.2 percent.


Nationwide, wages increased by 0.1 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 169 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+7.7 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.0 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 4 of the 14 largest counties in North Carolina were above the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in two of these counties ranked among the top 50 nationwide: Durham ($1,741, 14th) and Mecklenburg ($1,515, 38th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 92 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2023. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,288). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($793).

Smaller county average weekly wages

Among the 86 smaller counties in North Carolina—those with employment below 75,000—Union ($1,103) reported the highest average weekly wage. Pamlico County ($663) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 100 counties in North Carolina were considered, 29 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 42 registered wages from $850 to $949, 18 had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 11 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in North Carolina, third quarter 2023.

(U.S. average = $1,334)

 
Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The County Employment and Wages full data update for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 14 largest counties in North Carolina, third quarter 2023
AreaEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
September 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Third quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
third quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,026.4153,772.81.5--1,334--0.1--

North Carolina

375.64,835.12.0--1,222241.26

Buncombe

12.9137.71.41551,0682970.5122

Cabarrus

6.685.13.7101,0243221.357

Catawba

5.290.1-0.33211,020323-1.4283

Cumberland

7.6122.61.31701,029319(5)-

Durham

11.6233.92.3681,741143.86

Forsyth

11.4190.7-0.23181,1941840.885

Gaston

5.677.21.21819893360.797

Guilford

17.6285.70.22961,109254-0.7227

Iredell

7.182.73.5141,132235-3.0342

Mecklenburg

52.9780.82.3681,515380.797

New Hanover

11.2128.52.0951,1182461.169

Orange

5.577.42.3681,421610.2153

Pitt

4.580.71.31701,0543071.260

Wake

50.5637.93.0291,365760.797

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in North Carolina, third quarter 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment September 2023Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,026,378153,772,8111,334

North Carolina

375,5694,835,0621,222

Alamance

4,34567,124972

Alexander

7008,487804

Alleghany

3523,262780

Anson

5146,725816

Ashe

7607,384812

Avery

7157,525795

Beaufort

1,37615,625870

Bertie

3415,003800

Bladen

69213,699868

Brunswick

4,25539,910925

Buncombe

12,940137,7101,068

Burke

1,73829,464875

Cabarrus

6,63785,0591,024

Caldwell

1,59125,311913

Camden

2261,268895

Carteret

2,71724,885822

Caswell

3102,945850

Catawba

5,24990,0591,020

Chatham

2,11417,444937

Cherokee

8887,920820

Chowan

4325,074885

Clay

3522,151888

Cleveland

2,33536,728995

Columbus

1,22314,776874

Craven

2,77440,9181,037

Cumberland

7,597122,5721,029

Currituck

9748,215805

Dare

2,33521,469837

Davidson

3,39546,538979

Davie

1,10713,523933

Duplin

1,22219,661879

Durham

11,600233,9271,741

Edgecombe

1,02515,240867

Forsyth

11,375190,6611,194

Franklin

1,62813,3371,009

Gaston

5,62877,201989

Gates

1941,342791

Graham

2121,936877

Granville

1,12820,3961,030

Greene

3874,506841

Guilford

17,637285,7411,109

Halifax

1,10015,261833

Harnett

2,34928,103851

Haywood

1,97717,262868

Henderson

4,06443,158984

Hertford

4918,442900

Hoke

7259,181833

Hyde

2021,843785

Iredell

7,05482,6671,132

Jackson

1,33614,756917

Johnston

5,00858,792984

Jones

2141,660880

Lee

1,81625,708978

Lenoir

1,45728,861908

Lincoln

2,48027,5891,047

McDowell

98215,705855

Macon

1,45612,330866

Madison

5654,155812

Martin

4996,192716

Mecklenburg

52,862780,7861,515

Mitchell

4455,032934

Montgomery

6109,056878

Moore

3,36838,541965

Nash

2,43539,470959

New Hanover

11,176128,5191,118

Northampton

3784,981934

Onslow

4,33653,606865

Orange

5,46077,3951,421

Pamlico

3603,668663

Pasquotank

1,13315,869917

Pender

1,90914,119840

Perquimans

2872,389823

Person

8199,447900

Pitt

4,54580,7271,054

Polk

6915,446839

Randolph

2,97742,479871

Richmond

95814,496809

Robeson

2,22238,141847

Rockingham

1,88824,666843

Rowan

3,33551,0791,042

Rutherford

1,50918,085857

Sampson

1,31117,122863

Scotland

69911,903906

Stanly

1,67920,293919

Stokes

8487,426719

Surry

2,03828,723899

Swain

54010,810838

Transylvania

1,2699,736875

Tyrrell

101929786

Union

7,65372,2001,103

Vance

97914,157867

Wake

50,458637,9221,365

Warren

3502,911746

Washington

2743,052853

Watauga

2,00525,313881

Wayne

2,61341,178898

Wilkes

1,40719,071880

Wilson

2,18535,855987

Yadkin

8039,897831

Yancey

4964,535866

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, third quarter 2023
StateEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
September 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2022–23
Third quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
third quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,026.4153,772.81.51,334--0.1--

Alabama

157.72,079.61.81,121350.424

Alaska

25.4335.43.11,328151.82

Arizona

223.13,163.82.11,24820-0.233

Arkansas

103.11,284.31.41,036500.030

California

1,785.318,102.20.21,61340.812

Colorado

261.92,888.72.31,4318-0.540

Connecticut

150.01,679.01.41,4806-0.642

Delaware

42.3472.52.11,26918-1.651

District of Columbia

52.1758.70.82,15911.44

Florida

894.29,668.62.51,21825-0.131

Georgia

392.54,807.31.51,24919-0.233

Hawaii

57.4627.90.71,226231.18

Idaho

95.3852.72.11,068460.519

Illinois

411.36,044.10.81,34612-1.048

Indiana

192.33,175.61.01,11536-0.745

Iowa

110.51,559.71.01,11237-0.642

Kansas

99.71,419.71.31,087430.325

Kentucky

152.21,985.42.01,092421.011

Louisiana

155.41,886.60.51,107400.615

Maine

64.9649.11.51,129341.18

Maryland

190.12,689.70.81,42490.519

Massachusetts

295.83,653.50.51,6433-0.745

Michigan

325.54,422.21.91,22822-0.540

Minnesota

206.42,923.51.41,32914-1.350

Mississippi

88.31,163.10.992751-0.642

Missouri

250.42,894.11.51,152310.325

Montana

66.9513.21.51,072451.26

Nebraska

78.31,014.02.31,11138-0.437

Nevada

107.51,537.82.81,20127-0.336

New Hampshire

66.3687.61.41,35011-1.249

New Jersey

326.84,256.91.91,4567-0.437

New Mexico

67.9857.21.61,096411.18

New York

701.89,525.51.71,61050.228

North Carolina

375.64,835.12.01,222241.26

North Dakota

35.8428.31.91,205261.35

Ohio

344.45,488.11.31,18530-0.131

Oklahoma

131.11,684.92.11,052480.519

Oregon

203.42,001.81.01,301160.519

Pennsylvania

392.55,996.01.31,28317-0.947

Rhode Island

48.2495.11.61,234210.714

South Carolina

179.72,256.42.61,086440.615

South Dakota

39.8457.62.01,058470.615

Tennessee

221.23,216.10.41,199280.129

Texas

831.913,731.12.61,336130.325

Utah

137.21,706.12.31,195290.812

Vermont

32.4306.51.41,14132-0.233

Virginia

315.84,053.61.81,383100.519

Washington

242.63,618.11.31,68221.53

West Virginia

59.1695.31.81,044490.615

Wisconsin

206.22,938.61.01,13333-0.437

Wyoming

30.6285.22.11,111382.41

Puerto Rico

53.6940.21.6633(3)2.8(3)

Virgin Islands

3.835.11.9953(3)-4.0(3)

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024