RALEIGH – On March 20 the NC Budget & Tax Center (BTC) published our Economic County Snapshots for 2025. Released each year, these snapshots provide at-a-glance information on a variety of economic and social indicators for every county in North Carolina, along with comparisons to state-level data. Data is available is multiple formats for ease of use, including interactive charts and maps that allow for quick comparisons across counties, one-page documents with complete information for each county, and the option to download all data in a single file.
Visit 2025 Economic County Snapshots page
These data profiles provide an overall picture of how key indicators of well-being vary across the state, including measures of employment, poverty and income, housing affordability, health, education, and supports for working families. BTC’s analysts collect data from a variety of credible state and national sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the North Carolina Departments of Public Instruction and Health and Human Services. Select indicators are also broken down by race and gender.
Key statewide findings include:
- The richest 5 percent of North Carolina households have an average income that is 28 times greater than the poorest 20 percent of households.
- Rent is unaffordable for many North Carolina households. Nearly half of North Carolina renters are putting more than 30 percent of income toward their rent, and more than one in five are spending more than half of their income on rent.
- Nearly one-third of North Carolinians have low annual incomes, meaning incomes under two times the poverty level ($62,400 for a family of four). In nearly every county, Black, Latine, and American Indian people and children are more likely to be living in poverty.
- Poverty rates are generally higher in counties where the population is declining. In counties where the population is growing, residents overall have higher educational attainment and earnings.
“Easily accessible data is a key resource for local communities, and these snapshots are designed to be a tool for people working to build a stronger and more equitable economy in their counties and across the state,” said Logan Rockefeller Harris, Director of Research with the NC Budget & Tax Center. “These data can help assess disparities within and across counties, as well as guide state and local public resources so that every North Carolina community and resident has what they need to thrive.”
To view and download detailed data on your county, click here.
For more information, please contact Logan Rockefeller Harris, Director of Research with the Budget & Tax Center, at 919-670-3750 or logan@ncbudget.org; or Katerina Marroquin, Communications Coordinator, at katerina@ncbudget.org.
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ABOUT NC BUDGET & TAX CENTER: The NC Budget & Tax Center is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that documents fiscal and economic conditions in communities to support the work of people, organizations, and government to advance solutions to poverty and pursue racial equity.
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