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).

  

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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.)

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.

  

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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 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.

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.)

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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).