Census ACS 2023 · 100 counties
Richest Counties in North Carolina
Income varies significantly across North Carolina's 100 counties. Wake County leads with a median household income of $101,763. County-level income data reveals economic disparities within the state that statewide averages can mask — affluent suburban counties often have incomes 2-3x higher than rural counties in the same state. These differences affect school funding, public services, and quality of life.
Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates
| # | County | Median Income | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yancey County | $54,961 | 18,676 |
| 2 | Yadkin County | $60,321 | 37,419 |
| 3 | Wilson County | $51,381 | 78,648 |
| 4 | Wilkes County | $50,438 | 65,983 |
| 5 | Wayne County | $58,082 | 117,606 |
| 6 | Watauga County | $51,367 | 54,607 |
| 7 | Washington County | $41,750 | 10,905 |
| 8 | Warren County | $45,279 | 18,751 |
| 9 | Wake County | $101,763 | 1,151,009 |
| 10 | Vance County | $46,943 | 42,361 |
| 11 | Union County | $99,243 | 244,975 |
| 12 | Tyrrell County | $43,952 | 3,376 |
| 13 | Transylvania County | $64,523 | 33,243 |
| 14 | Swain County | $55,429 | 14,065 |
| 15 | Surry County | $56,095 | 71,407 |
| 16 | Stokes County | $60,039 | 44,889 |
| 17 | Stanly County | $61,631 | 63,557 |
| 18 | Scotland County | $43,500 | 34,353 |
| 19 | Sampson County | $53,159 | 59,245 |
| 20 | Rutherford County | $49,771 | 64,850 |
| 21 | Rowan County | $63,196 | 148,487 |
| 22 | Rockingham County | $55,796 | 91,585 |
| 23 | Robeson County | $40,318 | 116,858 |
| 24 | Richmond County | $43,626 | 42,818 |
| 25 | Randolph County | $59,047 | 145,322 |
| 26 | Polk County | $61,005 | 19,689 |
| 27 | Pitt County | $58,851 | 172,279 |
| 28 | Person County | $64,927 | 39,275 |
| 29 | Perquimans County | $61,224 | 13,146 |
| 30 | Pender County | $76,838 | 63,475 |
| 31 | Pasquotank County | $63,912 | 40,830 |
| 32 | Pamlico County | $61,624 | 12,315 |
| 33 | Orange County | $88,553 | 147,292 |
| 34 | Onslow County | $64,568 | 208,537 |
| 35 | Northampton County | $47,935 | 17,212 |
| 36 | New Hanover County | $72,892 | 231,214 |
| 37 | NASH County | $60,704 | 95,451 |
| 38 | Moore County | $82,837 | 102,840 |
| 39 | Montgomery County | $55,849 | 25,874 |
| 40 | Mitchell County | $58,089 | 14,973 |
| 41 | Mecklenburg County | $83,765 | 1,130,906 |
| 42 | McDowell County | $55,527 | 44,679 |
| 43 | Martin County | $46,793 | 21,773 |
| 44 | Madison County | $58,628 | 21,640 |
| 45 | Macon County | $53,298 | 37,533 |
| 46 | Lincoln County | $78,490 | 90,359 |
| 47 | Lenoir County | $44,795 | 54,917 |
| 48 | Lee County | $63,060 | 64,565 |
| 49 | Jones County | $55,659 | 9,245 |
| 50 | Johnston County | $79,838 | 226,623 |
| 51 | Jackson County | $53,479 | 43,089 |
| 52 | Iredell County | $78,678 | 191,800 |
| 53 | Hyde County | $47,338 | 4,625 |
| 54 | Hoke County | $60,095 | 53,102 |
| 55 | Hertford County | $47,472 | 20,492 |
| 56 | Henderson County | $67,623 | 117,387 |
| 57 | Haywood County | $61,001 | 62,432 |
| 58 | Harnett County | $69,012 | 136,503 |
| 59 | Halifax County | $45,071 | 48,219 |
| 60 | Guilford County | $66,027 | 542,987 |
| 61 | Greene County | $50,904 | 20,421 |
| 62 | Granville County | $70,975 | 61,439 |
| 63 | Graham County | $49,038 | 8,041 |
| 64 | Gates County | $61,612 | 10,437 |
| 65 | Gaston County | $65,472 | 231,485 |
| 66 | Franklin County | $71,386 | 71,962 |
| 67 | Forsyth County | $65,541 | 386,740 |
| 68 | Edgecombe County | $48,480 | 48,777 |
| 69 | Durham County | $79,501 | 329,405 |
| 70 | Duplin County | $51,880 | 49,053 |
| 71 | Davie County | $73,234 | 43,526 |
| 72 | Davidson County | $62,426 | 171,063 |
| 73 | Dare County | $81,214 | 37,534 |
| 74 | Currituck County | $91,548 | 29,612 |
| 75 | Cumberland County | $58,780 | 336,749 |
| 76 | Craven County | $64,635 | 101,074 |
| 77 | Columbus County | $48,184 | 50,453 |
| 78 | Cleveland County | $55,769 | 100,170 |
| 79 | Clay County | $53,645 | 11,391 |
| 80 | Chowan County | $56,982 | 13,814 |
| 81 | Cherokee County | $51,496 | 29,197 |
| 82 | Chatham County | $88,534 | 78,319 |
| 83 | Catawba County | $64,544 | 162,051 |
| 84 | Caswell County | $59,407 | 22,689 |
| 85 | Carteret County | $70,235 | 68,652 |
| 86 | Camden County | $87,781 | 10,743 |
| 87 | Caldwell County | $55,401 | 80,618 |
| 88 | Cabarrus County | $86,084 | 231,262 |
| 89 | Burke County | $55,684 | 87,863 |
| 90 | Buncombe County | $70,578 | 271,790 |
| 91 | Brunswick County | $74,034 | 145,889 |
| 92 | Bladen County | $44,528 | 29,591 |
| 93 | Bertie County | $45,931 | 17,482 |
| 94 | Beaufort County | $57,997 | 44,597 |
| 95 | Avery County | $57,657 | 17,643 |
| 96 | Ashe County | $50,827 | 26,831 |
| 97 | Anson County | $44,245 | 21,903 |
| 98 | Alleghany County | $44,272 | 11,075 |
| 99 | Alexander County | $65,268 | 36,440 |
| 100 | Alamance County | $64,445 | 174,286 |
More Rankings for North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
Wake County is the #1 ranked county in North Carolina by median household income, with a value of $101,763 according to Census ACS 2023 data.
North Carolina has 100 counties tracked in Census ACS 2023 data.
All data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates by the US Census Bureau.
Data from the American Community Survey 2023 5-Year estimates. Covers all counties in North Carolina.