| | County Economic Status, FY 2027 | Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate, 2022–2024 | Per Capita Market Income, 2024 | Poverty Rate, 2020–2024 | Three-Year Avg. Unemp. Rate, Percent of U.S. Avg., 2022–2024 | Per Capita Market Income, Percent of U.S. Average, 2024 | PCMI, Percent of U.S. Avg., Inversed, 2024 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 2020–2024 | Composite Index Value, FY 2027 | Index Value Rank (of 3,115 counties in U.S., 1 is the best), FY 2027 | Quartile (1 is the best), FY 2027 |
|
| United States | - | 3.8% | $59,811 | 12.5% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian Region | - | 3.6% | $43,192 | 14.3% | 95.1% | 72.2% | 138.5% | 114.4% | - | - | - |
| North Carolina | - | 3.6% | $51,790 | 13.0% | 95.5% | 86.6% | 115.5% | 104.6% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian North Carolina | - | 3.5% | $42,985 | 14.0% | 94.1% | 71.9% | 139.1% | 112.8% | - | - | - |
|
| County |
| Alexander | Transitional | 3.5% | $37,969 | 12.6% | 93.5% | 63.5% | 157.5% | 100.9% | 117.3 | 1,567 | 3 |
| Alleghany | Transitional | 3.9% | $33,035 | 16.0% | 103.1% | 55.2% | 181.1% | 128.3% | 137.5 | 2,220 | 3 |
| Ashe | Transitional | 3.3% | $33,963 | 13.5% | 86.2% | 56.8% | 176.1% | 108.3% | 123.5 | 1,785 | 3 |
| Avery | Transitional | 3.7% | $38,806 | 10.2% | 98.4% | 64.9% | 154.1% | 81.6% | 111.3 | 1,343 | 2 |
| Buncombe | Transitional | 3.4% | $55,872 | 11.8% | 91.2% | 93.4% | 107.1% | 95.0% | 97.8 | 869 | 2 |
| Burke | Transitional | 3.4% | $35,127 | 15.6% | 91.1% | 58.7% | 170.3% | 125.1% | 128.8 | 1,964 | 3 |
| Caldwell | Transitional | 3.4% | $33,536 | 13.4% | 90.3% | 56.1% | 178.3% | 107.3% | 125.3 | 1,844 | 3 |
| Catawba | Transitional | 3.5% | $45,102 | 12.7% | 92.8% | 75.4% | 132.6% | 102.3% | 109.2 | 1,275 | 2 |
| Cherokee | At-Risk | 3.9% | $24,802 | 12.4% | 102.5% | 41.5% | 241.2% | 99.3% | 147.6 | 2,483 | 4 |
| Clay | Transitional | 3.4% | $29,563 | 12.9% | 91.3% | 49.4% | 202.3% | 103.5% | 132.4 | 2,072 | 3 |
| Cleveland | Transitional | 4.0% | $34,087 | 16.6% | 106.6% | 57.0% | 175.5% | 133.3% | 138.4 | 2,241 | 3 |
| Davie | Competitive | 3.3% | $52,264 | 9.4% | 87.2% | 87.4% | 114.4% | 75.4% | 92.4 | 676 | 1 |
| Forsyth | Transitional | 3.8% | $49,862 | 14.5% | 99.7% | 83.4% | 120.0% | 116.6% | 112.1 | 1,373 | 2 |
| Graham | Transitional | 3.8% | $29,219 | 6.7% | 101.7% | 48.9% | 204.7% | 53.8% | 120.1 | 1,663 | 3 |
| Haywood | Transitional | 3.4% | $39,638 | 13.1% | 88.9% | 66.3% | 150.9% | 105.4% | 115.1 | 1,483 | 2 |
| Henderson | Transitional | 3.0% | $46,574 | 11.6% | 80.6% | 77.9% | 128.4% | 92.8% | 100.6 | 966 | 2 |
| Jackson | Transitional | 3.7% | $35,353 | 18.0% | 97.0% | 59.1% | 169.2% | 144.6% | 136.9 | 2,201 | 3 |
| Macon | Transitional | 3.4% | $37,748 | 11.6% | 90.3% | 63.1% | 158.4% | 93.2% | 114.0 | 1,443 | 2 |
| Madison | Transitional | 3.4% | $33,923 | 12.1% | 90.1% | 56.7% | 176.3% | 97.3% | 121.2 | 1,708 | 3 |
| McDowell | Transitional | 3.7% | $32,234 | 14.8% | 97.5% | 53.9% | 185.5% | 118.9% | 134.0 | 2,119 | 3 |
| Mitchell | Transitional | 3.9% | $33,357 | 12.9% | 102.2% | 55.8% | 179.3% | 103.7% | 128.4 | 1,948 | 3 |
| Polk | Transitional | 3.4% | $52,495 | 14.0% | 89.4% | 87.8% | 113.9% | 112.5% | 105.3 | 1,149 | 2 |
| Rutherford | At-Risk | 4.2% | $29,934 | 16.8% | 112.1% | 50.0% | 199.8% | 134.5% | 148.8 | 2,510 | 4 |
| Stokes | Transitional | 3.4% | $35,484 | 11.2% | 89.4% | 59.3% | 168.6% | 89.7% | 115.9 | 1,514 | 2 |
| Surry | Transitional | 3.4% | $37,761 | 16.8% | 88.8% | 63.1% | 158.4% | 135.0% | 127.4 | 1,918 | 3 |
| Swain | Transitional | 3.5% | $37,005 | 19.1% | 92.8% | 61.9% | 161.6% | 153.4% | 136.0 | 2,169 | 3 |
| Transylvania | Transitional | 3.4% | $47,019 | 13.2% | 90.1% | 78.6% | 127.2% | 106.1% | 107.8 | 1,231 | 2 |
| Watauga | At-Risk | 3.5% | $44,957 | 25.5% | 92.3% | 75.2% | 133.0% | 204.4% | 143.3 | 2,377 | 4 |
| Wilkes | Transitional | 3.7% | $35,183 | 16.7% | 99.3% | 58.8% | 170.0% | 134.3% | 134.5 | 2,131 | 3 |
| Yadkin | Transitional | 3.2% | $38,153 | 14.0% | 85.8% | 63.8% | 156.8% | 112.2% | 118.3 | 1,604 | 3 |
| Yancey | Transitional | 3.7% | $31,366 | 15.2% | 98.6% | 52.4% | 190.7% | 121.8% | 137.0 | 2,203 | 3 |
