No economy has generated as much wealth for as many people as that of the United States. According to the 2023 Global Wealth Report from the Swiss investment bank UBS, most adults worldwide have less than $10,000 in total wealth. Meanwhile, the typical American adult is worth nearly $108,000. The same report found that the U.S. is home to 38% of the world’s millionaires, many times more than any other country — and incomes in the U.S. are currently rising at a historic pace.
The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey shows that the typical American household earned nearly $75,000 in 2022, up from about $69,700 in 2021. The 7.2% increase was the largest recorded year-over-year since at least the mid-1990s.
In North Carolina, a state home to 13 Fortune 500 companies, the typical household earns $66,186 annually. And in some parts of the state, household incomes exceed that amount by tens of thousands of dollars.
Using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 22 richest counties in North Carolina. Counties in the state are ranked on median household income. Supplemental data on population, unemployment, and median home values are also five-year estimates from the 2022 ACS.
Among the counties on this list, median household incomes are anywhere from about $350 to $30,500 above what the typical North Carolina household earns. In many of these counties, high incomes are underpinned by a strong job market. According to the ACS, the five-year average jobless rate in all but five of North Carolina’s richest counties is below the 5.0% statewide average.
Home values are often a reflection of what residents can afford, and high incomes in these counties are often evidenced by the local real estate markets. In most counties on this list, the typical home is worth more than the $234,900 median home value across the state.
These are the richest counties in North Carolina.
22. Buncombe County
- Median household income: $66,531
- Median home value: $328,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.6%
- Population: 269,449
21. Carteret County
- Median household income: $66,965
- Median home value: $277,400
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.8%
- Population: 68,353
20. New Hanover County
- Median household income: $67,515
- Median home value: $320,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Population: 228,134
19. Granville County
- Median household income: $68,079
- Median home value: $208,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
- Population: 61,161
18. Davie County
- Median household income: $69,105
- Median home value: $219,400
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
- Population: 43,030
17. Franklin County
- Median household income: $70,493
- Median home value: $209,500
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
- Population: 69,680
16. Brunswick County
- Median household income: $71,193
- Median home value: $284,100
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.0%
- Population: 139,721
15. Iredell County
- Median household income: $73,103
- Median home value: $261,200
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
- Population: 187,839
14. Pender County
- Median household income: $74,538
- Median home value: $240,800
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.3%
- Population: 61,592
13. Durham County
- Median household income: $74,927
- Median home value: $311,300
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Population: 325,101
12. Johnston County
- Median household income: $75,288
- Median home value: $240,100
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
- Population: 219,042
11. Lincoln County
- Median household income: $75,672
- Median home value: $241,200
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
- Population: 87,933
10. Moore County
- Median household income: $77,981
- Median home value: $284,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.2%
- Population: 100,759
9. Camden County
- Median household income: $79,120
- Median home value: $261,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
- Population: 10,547
8. Mecklenburg County
- Median household income: $79,265
- Median home value: $334,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
- Population: 1,115,403
7. Dare County
- Median household income: $79,742
- Median home value: $386,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.1%
- Population: 37,160
6. Currituck County
- Median household income: $82,793
- Median home value: $314,100
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.1%
- Population: 28,616
5. Cabarrus County
- Median household income: $83,828
- Median home value: $281,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Population: 226,396
4. Chatham County
- Median household income: $84,222
- Median home value: $373,300
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.8%
- Population: 76,754
3. Orange County
- Median household income: $85,785
- Median home value: $395,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
- Population: 145,919
2. Union County
- Median household income: $95,533
- Median home value: $336,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Population: 240,109
1. Wake County
- Median household income: $96,734
- Median home value: $385,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.2%
- Population: 1,132,103
| Rank | County | Median household income ($) | Median home value ($) | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake, North Carolina | 96,734 | 385,700 | 4.2 |
| 2 | Union, North Carolina | 95,533 | 336,600 | 4.3 |
| 3 | Orange, North Carolina | 85,785 | 395,600 | 3.9 |
| 4 | Chatham, North Carolina | 84,222 | 373,300 | 2.8 |
| 5 | Cabarrus, North Carolina | 83,828 | 281,600 | 4.9 |
| 6 | Currituck, North Carolina | 82,793 | 314,100 | 3.1 |
| 7 | Dare, North Carolina | 79,742 | 386,600 | 5.1 |
| 8 | Mecklenburg, North Carolina | 79,265 | 334,700 | 4.5 |
| 9 | Camden, North Carolina | 79,120 | 261,000 | 5.6 |
| 10 | Moore, North Carolina | 77,981 | 284,000 | 4.2 |
| 11 | Lincoln, North Carolina | 75,672 | 241,200 | 4.4 |
| 12 | Johnston, North Carolina | 75,288 | 240,100 | 3.7 |
| 13 | Durham, North Carolina | 74,927 | 311,300 | 4.3 |
| 14 | Pender, North Carolina | 74,538 | 240,800 | 6.3 |
| 15 | Iredell, North Carolina | 73,103 | 261,200 | 4.6 |
| 16 | Brunswick, North Carolina | 71,193 | 284,100 | 5.0 |
| 17 | Franklin, North Carolina | 70,493 | 209,500 | 5.9 |
| 18 | Davie, North Carolina | 69,105 | 219,400 | 4.5 |
| 19 | Granville, North Carolina | 68,079 | 208,600 | 4.6 |
| 20 | New Hanover, North Carolina | 67,515 | 320,000 | 4.7 |
| 21 | Carteret, North Carolina | 66,965 | 277,400 | 4.8 |
| 22 | Buncombe, North Carolina | 66,531 | 328,900 | 3.6 |
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