Employment rose in 8 of the 14 largest counties in North Carolina from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Orange County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 2.6 percent, followed by Gaston (+2.5 percent). (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in North Carolina, December 2024

County	Percent change, December 2024
Orange	2.6
Gaston	2.5
Cabarrus	1.7
Mecklenburg	1.3
New Hanover	1.2
Iredell	0.7
Wake	0.5
Guilford	0.2
Durham	0.0
Catawba	-0.2
Forsyth	-0.2
Pitt	-0.3
Cumberland	-1.7
Buncombe	-5.0

Among the 14 largest counties in North Carolina, employment was highest in Mecklenburg (799,000) in December 2024. Together, the 14 largest counties accounted for 62.2 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 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 2023.)

All 14 large North Carolina counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Cabarrus had the largest gain (+8.8 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among North Carolina’s other 13 large counties ranged from 8.2 percent to 4.5 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in North Carolina, fourth quarter 2024

County	Percent change, fourth quarter 2024
Cabarrus	8.8
Buncombe	8.2
Durham	7.3
Orange	6.7
Cumberland	6.3
Gaston	6.0
New Hanover	5.8
Catawba	5.6
Iredell	5.6
Pitt	5.6
Wake	5.6
Mecklenburg	4.9
Guilford	4.6
Forsyth	4.5

Weekly wages in 4 of the 14 largest counties in North Carolina were above the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,966 in Durham to $1,086 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 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 86 smaller counties were below the national average. Union reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,246). Pamlico reported the lowest average weekly wage ($757) in the state.

Among all 100 North Carolina counties, 14 reported average weekly wages of less than $925, 38 registered wages from $925 to $999, 19 had wages from $1,000 to $1,074, 15 had wages from $1,075 to $1,149, and 14 had average weekly wages of $1,150 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 release for first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).