| | County Economic Status, FY 2019 | Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate, 2014–2016 | Per Capita Market Income, 2016 | Poverty Rate, 2012–2016 | Three-Year Avg. Unemp. Rate, Percent of U.S. Avg., 2014–2016 | Per Capita Market Income, Percent of U.S. Average, 2016 | PCMI, Percent of U.S. Avg., Inversed, 2016 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 2012–2016 | Composite Index Value, FY 2019 | Index Value Rank (of 3,113 counties in U.S., 1 is the best), FY 2019 | Quartile (1 is the best), FY 2019 |
|
| United States | - | 5.4% | $40,679 | 15.1% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian Region | - | 6.0% | $29,765 | 16.7% | 109.9% | 73.2% | 136.7% | 110.7% | - | - | - |
| North Carolina | - | 5.7% | $33,871 | 16.8% | 104.8% | 83.3% | 120.1% | 111.5% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian North Carolina | - | 5.4% | $28,499 | 18.1% | 99.1% | 70.1% | 142.7% | 120.0% | - | - | - |
|
| County |
| Alexander | Transitional | 4.9% | $25,035 | 17.4% | 90.9% | 61.5% | 162.5% | 114.9% | 122.8 | 1,808 | 3 |
| Alleghany | Transitional | 6.2% | $22,961 | 19.5% | 113.8% | 56.4% | 177.2% | 128.8% | 139.9 | 2,315 | 3 |
| Ashe | At-Risk | 5.9% | $22,177 | 19.9% | 108.6% | 54.5% | 183.4% | 131.9% | 141.3 | 2,345 | 4 |
| Avery | Transitional | 5.8% | $22,966 | 16.7% | 107.5% | 56.5% | 177.1% | 110.5% | 131.7 | 2,074 | 3 |
| Buncombe | Transitional | 4.3% | $34,337 | 14.8% | 79.0% | 84.4% | 118.5% | 97.7% | 98.4 | 992 | 2 |
| Burke | Transitional | 5.6% | $23,030 | 19.9% | 102.5% | 56.6% | 176.6% | 131.5% | 136.9 | 2,220 | 3 |
| Caldwell | Transitional | 6.2% | $22,938 | 17.6% | 114.8% | 56.4% | 177.3% | 116.3% | 136.1 | 2,195 | 3 |
| Cherokee | At-Risk | 6.4% | $17,262 | 19.5% | 117.8% | 42.4% | 235.7% | 129.3% | 160.9 | 2,713 | 4 |
| Clay | At-Risk | 6.0% | $18,784 | 16.2% | 111.2% | 46.2% | 216.6% | 107.3% | 145.0 | 2,428 | 4 |
| Davie | Transitional | 5.1% | $33,539 | 13.9% | 94.4% | 82.4% | 121.3% | 92.2% | 102.6 | 1,138 | 2 |
| Forsyth | Transitional | 5.5% | $36,354 | 19.5% | 100.4% | 89.4% | 111.9% | 129.2% | 113.8 | 1,503 | 2 |
| Graham | Distressed | 11.4% | $19,008 | 19.3% | 210.5% | 46.7% | 214.0% | 127.9% | 184.2 | 2,954 | 4 |
| Haywood | Transitional | 5.2% | $27,973 | 16.7% | 95.8% | 68.8% | 145.4% | 110.5% | 117.2 | 1,629 | 3 |
| Henderson | Transitional | 4.7% | $28,714 | 13.3% | 86.0% | 70.6% | 141.7% | 87.9% | 105.2 | 1,236 | 2 |
| Jackson | At-Risk | 6.0% | $25,330 | 23.1% | 111.3% | 62.3% | 160.6% | 152.8% | 141.6 | 2,354 | 4 |
| Macon | Transitional | 6.1% | $25,404 | 18.4% | 111.4% | 62.5% | 160.1% | 121.6% | 131.0 | 2,055 | 3 |
| Madison | Transitional | 5.6% | $20,941 | 16.6% | 103.1% | 51.5% | 194.3% | 110.1% | 135.8 | 2,188 | 3 |
| McDowell | At-Risk | 5.6% | $21,217 | 20.0% | 102.7% | 52.2% | 191.7% | 132.6% | 142.3 | 2,376 | 4 |
| Mitchell | At-Risk | 6.9% | $21,195 | 18.0% | 127.4% | 52.1% | 191.9% | 119.4% | 146.2 | 2,461 | 4 |
| Polk | Transitional | 5.0% | $31,512 | 14.5% | 92.6% | 77.5% | 129.1% | 96.1% | 105.9 | 1,261 | 2 |
| Rutherford | At-Risk | 7.7% | $19,680 | 19.3% | 141.4% | 48.4% | 206.7% | 127.9% | 158.7 | 2,683 | 4 |
| Stokes | Transitional | 5.4% | $23,948 | 15.4% | 99.7% | 58.9% | 169.9% | 101.8% | 123.8 | 1,848 | 3 |
| Surry | Transitional | 5.5% | $25,015 | 17.9% | 100.4% | 61.5% | 162.6% | 118.1% | 127.0 | 1,943 | 3 |
| Swain | At-Risk | 7.5% | $22,380 | 23.4% | 138.8% | 55.0% | 181.8% | 155.0% | 158.5 | 2,680 | 4 |
| Transylvania | Transitional | 5.4% | $26,277 | 14.4% | 99.0% | 64.6% | 154.8% | 95.0% | 116.3 | 1,591 | 3 |
| Watauga | At-Risk | 4.8% | $27,362 | 31.3% | 88.8% | 67.3% | 148.7% | 207.3% | 148.3 | 2,502 | 4 |
| Wilkes | At-Risk | 5.7% | $22,823 | 21.1% | 104.7% | 56.1% | 178.2% | 139.5% | 140.8 | 2,338 | 4 |
| Yadkin | Transitional | 5.0% | $24,552 | 19.0% | 92.4% | 60.4% | 165.7% | 125.6% | 127.9 | 1,979 | 3 |
| Yancey | At-Risk | 5.9% | $20,933 | 21.3% | 109.5% | 51.5% | 194.3% | 141.1% | 148.3 | 2,504 | 4 |
