| County Economic Status, FY 2023 | Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate, 2018–2020 | Per Capita Market Income, 2020 | Poverty Rate, 2016–2020 | Three-Year Avg. Unemp. Rate, Percent of U.S. Avg., 2018–2020 | Per Capita Market Income, Percent of U.S. Average, 2020 | PCMI, Percent of U.S. Avg., Inversed, 2020 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 2016–2020 | Composite Index Value, FY 2023 | Index Value Rank (of 3,113 counties in U.S., 1 is the best), FY 2023 | Quartile (1 is the best), FY 2023 |
|
United States | - | 5.2% | $46,638 | 12.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | - | - | - |
Appalachian Region | - | 5.2% | $33,796 | 14.7% | 100.4% | 72.5% | 138.0% | 114.3% | - | - | - |
North Carolina | - | 5.0% | $38,556 | 14.0% | 96.9% | 82.7% | 121.0% | 108.9% | - | - | - |
Appalachian North Carolina | - | 4.9% | $32,234 | 14.8% | 94.1% | 69.1% | 144.7% | 115.6% | - | - | - |
|
County |
Alexander | Transitional | 4.6% | $27,351 | 12.3% | 88.9% | 58.6% | 170.5% | 95.8% | 118.4 | 1,696 | 3 |
Alleghany | At-Risk | 5.5% | $25,863 | 22.6% | 105.5% | 55.5% | 180.3% | 176.1% | 154.0 | 2,654 | 4 |
Ashe | Transitional | 4.5% | $25,230 | 14.8% | 86.2% | 54.1% | 184.8% | 115.4% | 128.8 | 2,021 | 3 |
Avery | Transitional | 4.5% | $26,568 | 13.1% | 87.2% | 57.0% | 175.5% | 102.2% | 121.7 | 1,810 | 3 |
Buncombe | Transitional | 4.7% | $40,648 | 11.5% | 91.1% | 87.2% | 114.7% | 89.5% | 98.4 | 1,008 | 2 |
Burke | Transitional | 4.8% | $25,831 | 18.5% | 92.7% | 55.4% | 180.5% | 144.3% | 139.2 | 2,321 | 3 |
Caldwell | Transitional | 5.2% | $25,375 | 14.0% | 100.7% | 54.4% | 183.8% | 109.3% | 131.3 | 2,104 | 3 |
Catawba | Transitional | 5.0% | $36,160 | 12.4% | 96.5% | 77.5% | 129.0% | 96.4% | 107.3 | 1,323 | 2 |
Cherokee | At-Risk | 5.6% | $20,275 | 17.8% | 107.4% | 43.5% | 230.0% | 139.0% | 158.8 | 2,731 | 4 |
Clay | At-Risk | 5.4% | $21,540 | 13.5% | 103.9% | 46.2% | 216.5% | 105.4% | 141.9 | 2,398 | 4 |
Cleveland | At-Risk | 5.2% | $26,834 | 19.1% | 100.9% | 57.5% | 173.8% | 148.9% | 141.2 | 2,375 | 4 |
Davie | Transitional | 4.5% | $39,158 | 13.7% | 87.0% | 84.0% | 119.1% | 106.9% | 104.3 | 1,216 | 2 |
Forsyth | Transitional | 5.0% | $39,506 | 15.8% | 95.8% | 84.7% | 118.1% | 123.2% | 112.4 | 1,483 | 2 |
Graham | At-Risk | 7.0% | $23,104 | 14.0% | 134.4% | 49.5% | 201.9% | 108.8% | 148.3 | 2,538 | 4 |
Haywood | Transitional | 4.7% | $28,576 | 12.2% | 91.0% | 61.3% | 163.2% | 95.0% | 116.4 | 1,631 | 3 |
Henderson | Transitional | 4.4% | $33,526 | 10.5% | 85.5% | 71.9% | 139.1% | 81.6% | 102.1 | 1,134 | 2 |
Jackson | Transitional | 5.3% | $26,695 | 18.0% | 101.9% | 57.2% | 174.7% | 140.5% | 139.0 | 2,318 | 3 |
Macon | Transitional | 4.8% | $29,425 | 16.0% | 92.8% | 63.1% | 158.5% | 124.7% | 125.3 | 1,918 | 3 |
Madison | Transitional | 4.7% | $24,293 | 14.3% | 90.1% | 52.1% | 192.0% | 111.2% | 131.1 | 2,096 | 3 |
McDowell | Transitional | 4.7% | $23,631 | 15.6% | 90.3% | 50.7% | 197.4% | 121.2% | 136.3 | 2,261 | 3 |
Mitchell | Transitional | 5.6% | $24,812 | 12.4% | 107.3% | 53.2% | 188.0% | 96.2% | 130.5 | 2,075 | 3 |
Polk | Transitional | 4.6% | $33,410 | 10.0% | 87.8% | 71.6% | 139.6% | 78.1% | 101.9 | 1,126 | 2 |
Rutherford | At-Risk | 6.4% | $22,742 | 17.8% | 122.8% | 48.8% | 205.1% | 138.8% | 155.6 | 2,681 | 4 |
Stokes | Transitional | 4.5% | $27,642 | 13.6% | 87.2% | 59.3% | 168.7% | 106.1% | 120.7 | 1,771 | 3 |
Surry | Transitional | 4.6% | $28,270 | 16.4% | 88.9% | 60.6% | 165.0% | 127.9% | 127.3 | 1,978 | 3 |
Swain | Transitional | 5.6% | $27,629 | 17.0% | 107.0% | 59.2% | 168.8% | 132.1% | 135.9 | 2,252 | 3 |
Transylvania | Transitional | 4.5% | $30,497 | 14.4% | 86.8% | 65.4% | 152.9% | 112.5% | 117.4 | 1,656 | 3 |
Watauga | At-Risk | 4.4% | $30,677 | 24.5% | 83.9% | 65.8% | 152.0% | 190.5% | 142.1 | 2,404 | 4 |
Wilkes | Transitional | 4.8% | $25,397 | 16.4% | 92.7% | 54.5% | 183.6% | 127.9% | 134.7 | 2,216 | 3 |
Yadkin | Transitional | 4.6% | $27,920 | 14.1% | 88.8% | 59.9% | 167.0% | 109.9% | 121.9 | 1,822 | 3 |
Yancey | Transitional | 4.6% | $25,509 | 14.7% | 88.9% | 54.7% | 182.8% | 114.1% | 128.6 | 2,020 | 3 |