You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in North Carolina.
The median household income in Chatham County, the richest county in North Carolina is $94,317, 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 2026
What is the richest county in North Carolina? The richest county in North Carolina is Chatham County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Washington 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 2026
1. Chatham County
Biggest Place: Cary
Population: 80,151
Median Income: $94,317 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $550,017 (2nd highest)
More on Chatham County: Data
2. Wake County
Biggest Place: Raleigh
Population: 1,178,653
Median Income: $105,768 (highest)
Median Home Price: $479,726 (6th highest)
More on Wake County: Data
3. Currituck County
Biggest Place: Moyock
Population: 30,601
Median Income: $93,511 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $541,876 (3rd highest)
More on Currituck County: Data
4. Dare County
Biggest Place: Kill Devil Hills
Population: 37,875
Median Income: $88,994 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $600,596 (highest)
More on Dare County: Data
5. Orange County
Biggest Place: Durham
Population: 149,678
Median Income: $90,089 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $505,611 (5th highest)
More on Orange County: Data
6. Union County
Biggest Place: Indian Trail
Population: 250,958
Median Income: $102,900 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $451,671 (10th highest)
More on Union County: Data
7. Mecklenburg County
Biggest Place: Charlotte
Population: 1,154,681
Median Income: $87,005 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $421,452 (15th highest)
More on Mecklenburg County: Data
8. Camden County
Biggest Place: Elizabeth City
Population: 10,927
Median Income: $91,078 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $393,332 (20th highest)
More on Camden County: Data
9. Moore County
Biggest Place: Pinehurst
Population: 104,876
Median Income: $86,080 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $413,085 (16th highest)
More on Moore County: Data
10. Pender County
Biggest Place: Hampstead
Population: 65,550
Median Income: $80,396 (14th highest)
Median Home Price: $436,166 (13th highest)
More on Pender County: Data
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 2026. 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 2026
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 Chatham County, Wake County, Currituck County, Dare County, Orange County, Union County, Mecklenburg County, Camden County, Moore County, and Pender 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:
- Washington County
- Halifax County
- Hertford County
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest 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 | Chatham County | 80,151 | $94,317 | $550,017 |
| 2 | Wake County | 1,178,653 | $105,768 | $479,726 |
| 3 | Currituck County | 30,601 | $93,511 | $541,876 |
| 4 | Dare County | 37,875 | $88,994 | $600,596 |
| 5 | Orange County | 149,678 | $90,089 | $505,611 |
| 6 | Union County | 250,958 | $102,900 | $451,671 |
| 7 | Mecklenburg County | 1,154,681 | $87,005 | $421,452 |
| 8 | Camden County | 10,927 | $91,078 | $393,332 |
| 9 | Moore County | 104,876 | $86,080 | $413,085 |
| 10 | Pender County | 65,550 | $80,396 | $436,166 |
| 11 | New Hanover County | 235,229 | $75,166 | $444,935 |
| 12 | Buncombe County | 274,360 | $74,436 | $454,250 |
| 13 | Carteret County | 69,148 | $72,322 | $470,748 |
| 14 | Cabarrus County | 236,133 | $89,005 | $384,693 |
| 15 | Durham County | 332,353 | $82,316 | $397,037 |
| 16 | Lincoln County | 92,716 | $80,016 | $401,881 |
| 17 | Brunswick County | 152,568 | $77,024 | $405,145 |
| 18 | Iredell County | 196,544 | $81,419 | $386,376 |
| 19 | Johnston County | 234,263 | $83,384 | $343,004 |
| 20 | Henderson County | 118,484 | $68,187 | $422,832 |
| 21 | Transylvania County | 33,691 | $66,184 | $474,864 |
| 22 | Franklin County | 74,386 | $74,240 | $362,847 |
| 23 | Davie County | 44,122 | $75,057 | $321,974 |
| 24 | Granville County | 60,877 | $71,111 | $317,381 |
| 25 | Harnett County | 139,150 | $71,287 | $294,553 |
| 26 | Polk County | 19,891 | $67,758 | $316,132 |
| 27 | Gaston County | 234,881 | $67,478 | $297,719 |
| 28 | Guilford County | 547,940 | $68,642 | $278,467 |
| 29 | Catawba County | 163,573 | $67,864 | $292,677 |
| 30 | Onslow County | 207,906 | $68,148 | $289,956 |
| 31 | Avery County | 17,680 | $61,428 | $384,556 |
| 32 | Perquimans County | 13,244 | $67,917 | $277,277 |
| 33 | Forsyth County | 389,977 | $67,165 | $285,371 |
| 34 | Haywood County | 62,662 | $61,912 | $341,225 |
| 35 | Alamance County | 176,893 | $65,651 | $294,316 |
| 36 | Lee County | 65,816 | $65,387 | $292,368 |
| 37 | Madison County | 21,867 | $58,531 | $392,632 |
| 38 | Macon County | 37,941 | $59,061 | $360,443 |
| 39 | Jackson County | 43,771 | $55,815 | $444,170 |
| 40 | Rowan County | 149,875 | $65,725 | $276,269 |
| 41 | Watauga County | 55,123 | $51,693 | $506,670 |
| 42 | Craven County | 102,612 | $65,873 | $273,661 |
| 43 | Pasquotank County | 40,834 | $66,589 | $265,168 |
| 44 | Hoke County | 53,835 | $64,912 | $277,586 |
| 45 | Stanly County | 64,651 | $60,704 | $303,693 |
| 46 | Davidson County | 172,954 | $64,172 | $273,745 |
| 47 | Yancey County | 18,797 | $58,709 | $321,487 |
| 48 | Alexander County | 36,412 | $65,354 | $263,714 |
| 49 | Gates County | 10,376 | $66,333 | $246,167 |
| 50 | Ashe County | 26,950 | $56,866 | $346,186 |
| 51 | Clay County | 11,610 | $56,971 | $340,067 |
| 52 | Stokes County | 45,139 | $62,969 | $258,748 |
| 53 | Person County | 39,542 | $63,300 | $253,001 |
| 54 | Pamlico County | 12,390 | $59,717 | $273,404 |
| 55 | Randolph County | 146,348 | $61,022 | $253,644 |
| 56 | Yadkin County | 37,574 | $62,932 | $241,129 |
| 57 | Swain County | 14,013 | $52,349 | $324,621 |
| 58 | Nash County | 96,216 | $62,426 | $237,061 |
| 59 | Burke County | 87,795 | $58,592 | $255,517 |
| 60 | Cumberland County | 338,545 | $61,291 | $231,841 |
| 61 | Mcdowell County | 44,817 | $57,168 | $260,303 |
| 62 | Pitt County | 177,193 | $58,188 | $243,761 |
| 63 | Beaufort County | 44,499 | $58,357 | $233,490 |
| 64 | Cherokee County | 29,562 | $53,628 | $269,304 |
| 65 | Caswell County | 22,404 | $59,755 | $213,218 |
| 66 | Mitchell County | 14,992 | $57,602 | $231,962 |
| 67 | Caldwell County | 80,536 | $56,425 | $237,080 |
| 68 | Wayne County | 118,652 | $59,733 | $186,088 |
| 69 | Cleveland County | 100,991 | $58,534 | $209,382 |
| 70 | Chowan County | 13,836 | $53,864 | $232,683 |
| 71 | Montgomery County | 26,007 | $57,766 | $196,636 |
| 72 | Surry County | 71,425 | $55,656 | $231,797 |
| 73 | Alleghany County | 11,174 | $47,172 | $269,502 |
| 74 | Rockingham County | 92,131 | $57,053 | $197,299 |
| 75 | Wilson County | 79,290 | $56,423 | $221,169 |
| 76 | Warren County | 18,795 | $50,638 | $242,861 |
| 77 | Jones County | 9,302 | $59,641 | $136,421 |
| 78 | Hyde County | 4,592 | $53,713 | $222,154 |
| 79 | Wilkes County | 65,935 | $51,721 | $225,624 |
| 80 | Duplin County | 49,335 | $55,148 | $186,277 |
| 81 | Rutherford County | 64,930 | $51,410 | $222,161 |
| 82 | Greene County | 20,486 | $53,244 | $182,392 |
| 83 | Graham County | 8,072 | $49,684 | $220,117 |
| 84 | Sampson County | 59,470 | $52,432 | $152,822 |
| 85 | Vance County | 42,322 | $50,465 | $183,618 |
| 86 | Columbus County | 50,140 | $49,442 | $183,768 |
| 87 | Edgecombe County | 48,736 | $51,265 | $135,072 |
| 88 | Anson County | 22,289 | $47,302 | $141,107 |
| 89 | Scotland County | 33,590 | $45,730 | $145,230 |
| 90 | Northampton County | 16,931 | $50,086 | $111,076 |
| 91 | Lenoir County | 54,919 | $45,143 | $153,994 |
| 92 | Bladen County | 29,566 | $42,422 | $157,230 |
| 93 | Martin County | 21,644 | $48,578 | $126,739 |
| 94 | Tyrrell County | 3,423 | $41,685 | $167,041 |
| 95 | Bertie County | 17,170 | $48,750 | $65,559 |
| 96 | Richmond County | 42,344 | $44,883 | $132,397 |
| 97 | Robeson County | 116,902 | $41,978 | $135,501 |
| 98 | Hertford County | 19,908 | $45,537 | $122,055 |
| 99 | Halifax County | 47,675 | $45,590 | $103,624 |
| 100 | Washington County | 10,812 | $41,813 | $106,836 |