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County Employment and Wages in North Carolina — First Quarter 2025
Employment rose in 8 of the 14 largest counties in North Carolina from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Gaston County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 1.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Buncombe had the largest-over-the year decrease in employment (-3.5 percent).
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in North Carolina, March 2025
County
Percent change, March 2025
Gaston
1.6
Orange
1.5
Cabarrus
1.3
New Hanover
1.2
Mecklenburg
0.9
Wake
0.7
Catawba
0.2
Guilford
0.2
Forsyth
-0.2
Iredell
-0.3
Pitt
-0.4
Cumberland
-0.9
Durham
-0.9
Buncombe
-3.5
Among the 14 largest counties in North Carolina, employment was highest in Mecklenburg (781,100) in March 2025. Together, the 14 largest counties accounted for 62.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)
Large county average weekly wages in the first quarter 2025
Among the 13 large North Carolina counties with published data, 12 reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Forsyth had the largest gain (+8.0 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other 11 large North Carolina counties ranged from 7.7 percent to 2.9 percent. Orange (-1.4 percent) reported the only loss.
Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in North Carolina, first quarter 2025
County
Percent change, first quarter 2025
Forsyth
8.0
Buncombe
7.7
New Hanover
7.0
Catawba
6.5
Pitt
6.4
Wake
5.6
Cabarrus
5.1
Mecklenburg
4.7
Durham
3.7
Iredell
3.7
Guilford
3.1
Gaston
2.9
Orange
-1.4
Weekly wages in 3 of the 14 largest counties in North Carolina were above the national average of $1,589. Average weekly wages ranged from $2,099 in Mecklenburg to $1,067 in Gaston.
Smaller county average weekly wages in the first quarter of 2025
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 86 small counties in North Carolina, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 86 smaller counties were below the national average. Union reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,293). Pamlico reported the lowest average weekly wage ($714) in the state.
Among all 100 North Carolina counties, 10 reported average weekly wages of less than $875, 30 registered wages from $875 to $949, 28 had wages from $950 to $1,024, 12 had wages from $1,025 to $1,099, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)
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Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in North Carolina, first quarter 2025
(U.S. average = $1,589)
Additional statistics and other information
QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.
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 news release for second quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
County Changes for the 2025 County Employment and Wages News Releases
Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2024 are included in this release and will be included in future 2025 releases. Four counties have been added to the nationwide publication tables: Pinal, AZ; Henry, GA; Wood, OH; and Comal, TX. One county has been dropped from the publication tables: Gregg, TX.
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 14 largest counties in North Carolina, first quarter 2025
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. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include 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, first quarter 2025
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 include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, first quarter 2025
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. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
United States Department of Labor
