Employment rose in 12 of the 15 largest counties in North Carolina from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. North Carolina employment increased 0.8 percent over the year to 4,942,700 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that New Hanover County (+2.4 percent) had the largest over-the-year increase in employment. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in North Carolina, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
New Hanover	2.4
Cabarrus	2.3
Wake	2.3
Buncombe	2.1
Union	2.1
Pitt	2.0
Mecklenburg	1.5
Iredell	0.9
Catawba	0.5
Forsyth	0.2
Guilford	0.2
Orange	0.1
Gaston	-0.1
Durham	-1.2
Cumberland	-2.2

Mecklenburg County (795,800) had the highest employment level in North Carolina in March 2026. Together, the 15 largest counties accounted for 63.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 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 2025.)

All 15 large North Carolina counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Catawba had the largest gain (+6.1 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other 14 large North Carolina counties ranged from 5.7 percent to 0.7 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in North Carolina, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Catawba	6.1
Durham	5.7
Iredell	5.3
New Hanover	4.6
Orange	4.5
Union	4.4
Cumberland	3.9
Forsyth	3.7
Guilford	3.5
Cabarrus	3.2
Wake	3.2
Mecklenburg	3.1
Pitt	2.6
Buncombe	0.9
Gaston	0.7

Weekly wages in 3 of the 15 largest counties in North Carolina were above the national average of $1,654: Durham ($2,210), Mecklenburg ($2,167), and Wake ($1,680). Average weekly wages among the other 12 large counties ranged from $1,578 in Orange to $1,075 in Gaston.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 3.3 percent over the year to $1,515. North Carolina ranked 20th in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 34th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 85 smaller counties in North Carolina, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all of the smaller counties were below the national average. Lee reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,273) among small counties. Pamlico reported the lowest average weekly wage ($718) in the state.

Among all 100 North Carolina counties, 11 reported average weekly wages less than $900, 38 had wages from $900 to $974, 18 had wages from $975 to $1,049, 12 had wages from $1,050 to $1,124, and 21 had average weekly wages of $1,125 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)