The Budget & Tax Center‘s Economic Snapshots provide a look at how well counties in North Carolina are faring across key indicators of economic well-being and opportunity.

Click on the links below for individual county data on unemployment, poverty, housing, health, education, and supports for working families.

Data Sources

Population Changes

NC Office of State Budget and Management, Population Estimates, July 2008 (actual) and 2018 (projected).

Poverty and Economic Hardship

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012-2016.

US Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2016.

Jobs and Ability to Afford the Basics

NC Budget and Tax Center, Living Income Standard, 2016.

NC Department of Commerce, Occupational Employment Statistics, 2017 and 2009.

NCWorks Online, Advertised Job Data and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (not seasonally adjusted), December 2007, 2017, and 2018.

US Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2016.

Access to Affordable Housing

National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach, 2017.

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012-2016.

Healthy Lives and Communities

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2017.

NC State Center for Health Statistics, 2014-2016.

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012-2016.

Educational Attainment

NC Department of Public Instruction, 4-Year Cohort 2016-2017.

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012-2016.

Work and Income Supports to Avoid Poverty

NC Division of Social Services, FNS Individuals Data, December 2017 & NC Office of State Budget and Management, Population Estimates, July 2017.

Special Data Request, NC Department of Revenue, Preliminary Run of 2013 Individual Income Tax Extract.