51 counties · Boom Town Index

North Carolina

Avg BTI Score
42 / 100
Population
9.2M
+0.9% avg growth
National Rank
#34 of 51

State Overview

North Carolina has 51 counties tracked by the Boom Town Index, with an average score of 42/100.

The state faces economic headwinds, with most counties scoring below the national median on growth indicators.

The top-performing county is Stanly County (BTI 91), while Buncombe County (BTI 4) trails the pack.

Median Household Income
$60,941
State median across 51 counties
Median Home Value
$196,800
Income-to-home ratio: 0.32
Building Permits
89,387
Total residential permits

North Carolina Counties

51 counties
Rank County BTI Score Proj. Growth GDP Pop Growth Income Ratio Home Price Amenity P/R
01 Stanly County 91 +3.0% +3.4% +0.9% +7.4% 5.7x +0.9% 0.7 10x
02 Davidson County 80 +2.1% +2.9% +0.9% +10.2% 5.8x +4.0% -0.1 11x
03 Randolph County 78 +2.0% +7.6% +0.5% +9.3% 5.1x +2.9% -0.0 13x
04 Granville County 75 +1.8% +2.9% +0.5% +12.3% 3.4x -0.3% -0.9 19x
05 Sampson County 73 +1.7% +7.7% -0.2% +10.7% 3.6x +2.2% -1.6 13x
06 Surry County 66 +1.4% +2.2% -0.0% +3.7% 4.1x -0.8% 1.2 18x
07 Burke County 64 +1.3% +3.6% -0.0% +11.6% 4.7x +0.4% 1.8 17x
08 Wilkes County 63 +1.3% +4.8% -0.3% +6.6% 3.8x +2.5% 1.9 17x
09 Wilson County 62 +1.2% +2.6% -0.2% +5.2% 3.0x +0.3% -1.2 9x
10 Harnett County 60 +1.2% +4.0% +1.2% +8.9% 8.7x +0.7% -0.5 9x
11 Craven County 58 +1.0% +3.3% -0.3% +9.5% 3.7x +2.5% 0.2 10x
12 Rutherford County 58 +1.0% +1.5% +0.1% +11.0% 5.3x +1.3% 0.5 18x
13 Lenoir County 58 +1.0% +2.0% -0.5% +4.8% 2.0x +2.4% -1.7 11x
14 Onslow County 58 +1.0% +3.0% +1.0% +9.6% 4.1x +3.1% 0.7 11x
15 Lee County 57 +1.0% +10.4% +1.4% +5.7% 3.6x +0.3% -0.7 9x
16 Pitt County 52 +0.8% +3.2% +0.3% +8.9% 3.1x +1.5% -1.7 11x
17 Caldwell County 51 +0.8% +2.5% +0.0% +7.8% 5.1x -1.7% 1.5 18x
18 Franklin County 50 +0.7% +7.9% +3.1% +13.1% 6.6x -0.4% -1.4 10x
19 Cumberland County 48 +0.7% +2.3% +0.5% +9.5% 2.9x +0.2% -0.7 10x
20 Watauga County 47 +0.6% +1.1% +0.9% +2.6% 6.2x -0.3% 1.8 22x
21 Guilford County 46 +0.6% +2.6% +0.5% +7.2% 3.2x +0.0% -0.8 13x
22 Carteret County 46 +0.6% +4.0% +0.6% +8.3% 6.6x +1.3% 1.2 12x
23 Catawba County 46 +0.6% +2.0% +0.7% +7.3% 3.3x +1.0% 1.3 11x
24 Forsyth County 44 +0.5% +0.3% +0.8% +7.7% 2.9x +1.0% -1.1 12x
25 Rowan County 42 +0.5% +2.0% +0.9% +11.4% 4.5x +0.9% -0.1 11x
26 Iredell County 42 +0.4% -0.6% +2.1% +9.4% 4.5x +1.0% 1.3 13x
27 Rockingham County 41 +0.4% +3.6% +0.3% +8.0% 4.4x -1.2% 0.1 10x
28 Hoke County 37 +0.3% +7.9% +0.8% +6.9% 7.1x +0.2% -1.3 9x
29 Haywood County 35 +0.2% +1.3% +0.7% +8.7% 7.0x -4.7% 2.2 11x
30 Alamance County 35 +0.2% +1.8% +1.5% +10.5% 4.8x +0.9% -1.0 12x
31 Gaston County 35 +0.2% +4.1% +1.3% +10.2% 5.4x +1.0% 0.4 10x
32 Moore County 35 +0.2% +3.5% +2.2% +15.6% 6.4x +0.3% 0.1 13x
33 Cabarrus County 34 +0.2% +6.6% +2.4% +10.6% 6.4x -1.9% -1.1 13x
34 Robeson County 30 +0.1% +0.2% -1.1% +7.2% 2.6x -2.7% -1.5 7x
35 Union County 27 -0.1% +5.6% +1.9% +8.0% 8.1x -0.3% -0.3 14x
36 Orange County 26 -0.2% +2.1% -1.0% +8.3% 5.6x -1.4% -1.4 19x
37 Johnston County 25 -0.2% +8.2% +3.6% +14.0% 5.9x -1.4% -1.2 11x
38 Pender County 24 -0.3% +5.4% +2.7% +13.5% 7.8x -0.7% 0.5 10x
39 Brunswick County 24 -0.3% +1.8% +4.4% +10.6% 6.4x -0.3% 1.1 13x
40 Lincoln County 23 -0.3% +6.8% +2.6% +15.7% 5.9x +2.4% 1.5 12x
41 Nash County 23 -0.3% +4.0% +0.4% +7.4% 2.8x -0.8% -1.4 10x
42 Columbus County 22 -0.4% -1.0% -1.3% +6.5% 4.1x +2.6% -0.4 14x
43 New Hanover County 20 -0.5% +2.8% +1.3% +8.3% 4.4x -1.2% 1.2 16x
44 Chatham County 19 -0.6% +1.3% +2.2% +9.7% 12.9x +0.3% 0.4 16x
45 Henderson County 18 -0.7% +3.8% +0.7% +9.3% 6.9x -2.8% 2.0 12x
46 Wake County 17 -0.8% +3.3% +1.7% +9.3% 4.2x -2.4% 0.2 20x
47 Wayne County 17 -0.9% +2.8% -0.2% +9.8% 3.4x -1.6% -1.4 9x
48 Durham County 15 -1.1% +5.9% +1.6% +11.8% 2.3x -2.4% -0.3 16x
49 Cleveland County 13 -1.2% +1.8% +0.6% +11.1% 3.3x -3.5% 0.8 10x
50 Mecklenburg County 12 -1.4% +3.4% +1.3% +8.4% 2.6x -0.9% 0.8 16x
51 Buncombe County 4 -3.4% +2.7% +0.9% +11.4% 5.4x -4.6% 2.2 16x