You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in North Carolina.
The median household income in Wake County, the richest county in North Carolina is $101,763, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 100 counties in the Tar Heel State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In North Carolina For 2025
- Wake County
- Orange County
- Union County
- Chatham County
- Dare County
- Currituck County
- Mecklenburg County
- Cabarrus County
- Durham County
- Moore County
What is the richest county in North Carolina? The richest county in North Carolina is Wake County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Robeson County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in North Carolina. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in North Carolina and the cheapest places to live in North Carolina.
The Richest Counties In North Carolina For 2025
1. Wake County
Biggest Place: Raleigh
Population: 1,151,009
Median Income: $101,763 (highest)
Median Home Price: $422,800 (3rd highest)
More on Wake County:
2. Orange County
Biggest Place: Durham
Population: 147,292
Median Income: $88,553 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $428,500 (highest)
More on Orange County:
3. Union County
Biggest Place: Indian Trail
Population: 244,975
Median Income: $99,243 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $374,400 (5th highest)
More on Union County:
4. Chatham County
Biggest Place: Cary
Population: 78,319
Median Income: $88,534 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $397,800 (4th highest)
More on Chatham County:
5. Dare County
Biggest Place: Kill Devil Hills
Population: 37,534
Median Income: $81,214 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $425,400 (2nd highest)
More on Dare County:
6. Currituck County
Biggest Place: Moyock
Population: 29,612
Median Income: $91,548 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $351,200 (10th highest)
More on Currituck County:
7. Mecklenburg County
Biggest Place: Charlotte
Population: 1,130,906
Median Income: $83,765 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $371,200 (6th highest)
More on Mecklenburg County:
8. Cabarrus County
Biggest Place: Concord
Population: 231,262
Median Income: $86,084 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $318,600 (13th highest)
More on Cabarrus County:
9. Durham County
Biggest Place: Raleigh
Population: 329,405
Median Income: $79,501 (12th highest)
Median Home Price: $351,700 (9th highest)
More on Durham County:
10. Moore County
Biggest Place: Pinehurst
Population: 102,840
Median Income: $82,837 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $315,300 (15th highest)
More on Moore County:
Methodology: How do you determine which North Carolina county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in North Carolina, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in North Carolina for each of the criteria from one to 100, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In North Carolina.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Tar Heel State.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in North Carolina. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In North Carolina For 2025
Living in North Carolina can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in North Carolina are Wake County, Orange County, Union County, Chatham County, Dare County, Currituck County, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County, Durham County, and Moore County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in North Carolina according to the data:
- Robeson County
- Washington County
- Scotland County
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Richest Cities In North Carolina
- Best Counties To Live In North Carolina
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In North Carolina
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake County | 1,151,009 | $101,763 | $422,800 |
| 2 | Orange County | 147,292 | $88,553 | $428,500 |
| 3 | Union County | 244,975 | $99,243 | $374,400 |
| 4 | Chatham County | 78,319 | $88,534 | $397,800 |
| 5 | Dare County | 37,534 | $81,214 | $425,400 |
| 6 | Currituck County | 29,612 | $91,548 | $351,200 |
| 7 | Mecklenburg County | 1,130,906 | $83,765 | $371,200 |
| 8 | Cabarrus County | 231,262 | $86,084 | $318,600 |
| 9 | Durham County | 329,405 | $79,501 | $351,700 |
| 10 | Moore County | 102,840 | $82,837 | $315,300 |
| 11 | Camden County | 10,743 | $87,781 | $289,800 |
| 12 | New Hanover County | 231,214 | $72,892 | $353,700 |
| 13 | Buncombe County | 271,790 | $70,578 | $360,000 |
| 14 | Iredell County | 191,800 | $78,678 | $292,300 |
| 15 | Brunswick County | 145,889 | $74,034 | $314,700 |
| 16 | Johnston County | 226,623 | $79,838 | $267,600 |
| 17 | Lincoln County | 90,359 | $78,490 | $279,500 |
| 18 | Henderson County | 117,387 | $67,623 | $317,800 |
| 19 | Pender County | 63,475 | $76,838 | $267,100 |
| 20 | Carteret County | 68,652 | $70,235 | $304,200 |
| 21 | Transylvania County | 33,243 | $64,523 | $336,100 |
| 22 | Franklin County | 71,962 | $71,386 | $240,900 |
| 23 | Davie County | 43,526 | $73,234 | $235,300 |
| 24 | Granville County | 61,439 | $70,975 | $235,700 |
| 25 | Guilford County | 542,987 | $66,027 | $234,900 |
| 26 | Gaston County | 231,485 | $65,472 | $235,000 |
| 27 | Forsyth County | 386,740 | $65,541 | $227,800 |
| 28 | Harnett County | 136,503 | $69,012 | $220,700 |
| 29 | Polk County | 19,689 | $61,005 | $281,100 |
| 30 | Haywood County | 62,432 | $61,001 | $254,900 |
| 31 | Pasquotank County | 40,830 | $63,912 | $223,300 |
| 32 | Onslow County | 208,537 | $64,568 | $219,500 |
| 33 | Alamance County | 174,286 | $64,445 | $221,200 |
| 34 | Catawba County | 162,051 | $64,544 | $218,100 |
| 35 | Madison County | 21,640 | $58,628 | $263,500 |
| 36 | Rowan County | 148,487 | $63,196 | $216,100 |
| 37 | Craven County | 101,074 | $64,635 | $206,200 |
| 38 | Lee County | 64,565 | $63,060 | $213,800 |
| 39 | Stanly County | 63,557 | $61,631 | $214,300 |
| 40 | Alexander County | 36,440 | $65,268 | $190,000 |
| 41 | Person County | 39,275 | $64,927 | $192,800 |
| 42 | Pamlico County | 12,315 | $61,624 | $209,800 |
| 43 | Watauga County | 54,607 | $51,367 | $321,500 |
| 44 | Perquimans County | 13,146 | $61,224 | $211,600 |
| 45 | Avery County | 17,643 | $57,657 | $233,200 |
| 46 | Davidson County | 171,063 | $62,426 | $200,100 |
| 47 | Clay County | 11,391 | $53,645 | $263,300 |
| 48 | Jackson County | 43,089 | $53,479 | $253,900 |
| 49 | Hoke County | 53,102 | $60,095 | $196,000 |
| 50 | Macon County | 37,533 | $53,298 | $229,000 |
| 51 | Yancey County | 18,676 | $54,961 | $222,300 |
| 52 | Mitchell County | 14,973 | $58,089 | $202,100 |
| 53 | Pitt County | 172,279 | $58,851 | $194,300 |
| 54 | Stokes County | 44,889 | $60,039 | $186,800 |
| 55 | Chowan County | 13,814 | $56,982 | $204,400 |
| 56 | Yadkin County | 37,419 | $60,321 | $176,400 |
| 57 | Cumberland County | 336,749 | $58,780 | $183,700 |
| 58 | Gates County | 10,437 | $61,612 | $163,900 |
| 59 | Nash County | 95,451 | $60,704 | $171,100 |
| 60 | Swain County | 14,065 | $55,429 | $209,800 |
| 61 | Ashe County | 26,831 | $50,827 | $221,900 |
| 62 | Beaufort County | 44,597 | $57,997 | $181,200 |
| 63 | Randolph County | 145,322 | $59,047 | $171,600 |
| 64 | Cherokee County | 29,197 | $51,496 | $208,700 |
| 65 | Cleveland County | 100,170 | $55,769 | $180,200 |
| 66 | Caswell County | 22,689 | $59,407 | $151,200 |
| 67 | Wayne County | 117,606 | $58,082 | $162,700 |
| 68 | Surry County | 71,407 | $56,095 | $166,400 |
| 69 | Caldwell County | 80,618 | $55,401 | $174,000 |
| 70 | Burke County | 87,863 | $55,684 | $170,500 |
| 71 | Mcdowell County | 44,679 | $55,527 | $168,300 |
| 72 | Rockingham County | 91,585 | $55,796 | $156,000 |
| 73 | Montgomery County | 25,874 | $55,849 | $150,300 |
| 74 | Wilson County | 78,648 | $51,381 | $171,800 |
| 75 | Rutherford County | 64,850 | $49,771 | $180,800 |
| 76 | Alleghany County | 11,075 | $44,272 | $199,000 |
| 77 | Jones County | 9,245 | $55,659 | $122,600 |
| 78 | Sampson County | 59,245 | $53,159 | $128,400 |
| 79 | Wilkes County | 65,983 | $50,438 | $161,400 |
| 80 | Graham County | 8,041 | $49,038 | $155,800 |
| 81 | Duplin County | 49,053 | $51,880 | $123,200 |
| 82 | Columbus County | 50,453 | $48,184 | $128,300 |
| 83 | Vance County | 42,361 | $46,943 | $146,300 |
| 84 | Greene County | 20,421 | $50,904 | $114,000 |
| 85 | Edgecombe County | 48,777 | $48,480 | $116,800 |
| 86 | Hyde County | 4,625 | $47,338 | $119,600 |
| 87 | Warren County | 18,751 | $45,279 | $124,700 |
| 88 | Tyrrell County | 3,376 | $43,952 | $138,400 |
| 89 | Bladen County | 29,591 | $44,528 | $125,800 |
| 90 | Hertford County | 20,492 | $47,472 | $111,100 |
| 91 | Northampton County | 17,212 | $47,935 | $102,200 |
| 92 | Martin County | 21,773 | $46,793 | $109,900 |
| 93 | Richmond County | 42,818 | $43,626 | $120,800 |
| 94 | Anson County | 21,903 | $44,245 | $119,300 |
| 95 | Lenoir County | 54,917 | $44,795 | $111,400 |
| 96 | Halifax County | 48,219 | $45,071 | $102,500 |
| 97 | Bertie County | 17,482 | $45,931 | $95,800 |
| 98 | Scotland County | 34,353 | $43,500 | $109,900 |
| 99 | Washington County | 10,905 | $41,750 | $107,000 |
| 100 | Robeson County | 116,858 | $40,318 | $88,600 |