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 $84,222, 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 2024
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 2024
1. Chatham County
Biggest Place: Cary
Population: 76,754
Median Income: $84,222 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $545,007 (2nd highest)
More on Chatham County: Data
2. Wake County
Biggest Place: Raleigh
Population: 1,132,103
Median Income: $96,734 (highest)
Median Home Price: $475,833 (5th highest)
More on Wake County: Data
3. Dare County
Biggest Place: Kill Devil Hills
Population: 37,160
Median Income: $79,742 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $575,730 (highest)
More on Dare County: Data
4. Currituck County
Biggest Place: Moyock
Population: 28,616
Median Income: $82,793 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $509,658 (3rd highest)
More on Currituck County: Data
5. Orange County
Biggest Place: Durham
Population: 145,919
Median Income: $85,785 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $471,210 (6th highest)
More on Orange County: Data
6. Union County
Biggest Place: Indian Trail
Population: 240,109
Median Income: $95,533 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $424,510 (11th highest)
More on Union County: Data
7. Mecklenburg County
Biggest Place: Charlotte
Population: 1,115,403
Median Income: $79,265 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $407,949 (15th highest)
More on Mecklenburg County: Data
8. Pender County
Biggest Place: Hampstead
Population: 61,592
Median Income: $74,538 (14th highest)
Median Home Price: $422,809 (12th highest)
More on Pender County: Data
9. Brunswick County
Biggest Place: Leland
Population: 139,721
Median Income: $71,193 (16th highest)
Median Home Price: $425,569 (10th highest)
More on Brunswick County: Data
10. Cabarrus County
Biggest Place: Concord
Population: 226,396
Median Income: $83,828 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $367,078 (22nd highest)
More on Cabarrus 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 2024. 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 2024
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, Dare County, Currituck County, Orange County, Union County, Mecklenburg County, Pender County, Brunswick County, and Cabarrus 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
- Bertie County
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Best Counties To Live In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In North Carolina
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chatham County | 76,754 | $84,222 | $545,007 |
| 2 | Wake County | 1,132,103 | $96,734 | $475,833 |
| 3 | Dare County | 37,160 | $79,742 | $575,730 |
| 4 | Currituck County | 28,616 | $82,793 | $509,658 |
| 5 | Orange County | 145,919 | $85,785 | $471,210 |
| 6 | Union County | 240,109 | $95,533 | $424,510 |
| 7 | Mecklenburg County | 1,115,403 | $79,265 | $407,949 |
| 8 | Pender County | 61,592 | $74,538 | $422,809 |
| 9 | Brunswick County | 139,721 | $71,193 | $425,569 |
| 10 | Cabarrus County | 226,396 | $83,828 | $367,078 |
| 11 | Moore County | 100,759 | $77,981 | $393,815 |
| 12 | Buncombe County | 269,449 | $66,531 | $445,716 |
| 13 | Carteret County | 68,353 | $66,965 | $443,309 |
| 14 | Durham County | 325,101 | $74,927 | $397,026 |
| 15 | Lincoln County | 87,933 | $75,672 | $367,458 |
| 16 | Camden County | 10,547 | $79,120 | $351,667 |
| 17 | Iredell County | 187,839 | $73,103 | $371,646 |
| 18 | New Hanover County | 228,134 | $67,515 | $412,366 |
| 19 | Transylvania County | 33,131 | $62,056 | $437,145 |
| 20 | Henderson County | 116,469 | $65,508 | $407,513 |
| 21 | Johnston County | 219,042 | $75,288 | $336,097 |
| 22 | Franklin County | 69,680 | $70,493 | $345,150 |
| 23 | Granville County | 61,161 | $68,079 | $299,576 |
| 24 | Davie County | 43,030 | $69,105 | $287,374 |
| 25 | Polk County | 19,538 | $60,465 | $369,133 |
| 26 | Harnett County | 134,718 | $64,992 | $278,305 |
| 27 | Gaston County | 228,972 | $62,628 | $283,315 |
| 28 | Catawba County | 161,011 | $62,070 | $264,926 |
| 29 | Madison County | 21,414 | $56,664 | $360,847 |
| 30 | Guilford County | 539,557 | $62,880 | $258,343 |
| 31 | Lee County | 63,560 | $60,941 | $268,787 |
| 32 | Alamance County | 171,779 | $60,866 | $274,586 |
| 33 | Clay County | 11,186 | $57,065 | $323,880 |
| 34 | Haywood County | 62,152 | $56,596 | $342,245 |
| 35 | Stanly County | 62,723 | $60,634 | $266,492 |
| 36 | Forsyth County | 383,739 | $61,229 | $262,732 |
| 37 | Craven County | 101,098 | $61,676 | $253,091 |
| 38 | Watauga County | 54,540 | $50,034 | $479,089 |
| 39 | Jackson County | 42,388 | $51,482 | $414,116 |
| 40 | Onslow County | 203,686 | $59,976 | $263,109 |
| 41 | Alexander County | 36,505 | $62,764 | $230,479 |
| 42 | Rowan County | 147,067 | $59,717 | $255,100 |
| 43 | Avery County | 17,679 | $53,513 | $344,646 |
| 44 | Perquimans County | 13,053 | $59,401 | $251,785 |
| 45 | Pasquotank County | 40,454 | $61,411 | $228,824 |
| 46 | Pamlico County | 12,317 | $55,867 | $264,465 |
| 47 | Hoke County | 52,612 | $57,141 | $250,390 |
| 48 | Davidson County | 169,498 | $58,473 | $246,308 |
| 49 | Person County | 39,131 | $60,688 | $229,381 |
| 50 | Swain County | 14,130 | $52,818 | $309,607 |
| 51 | Yancey County | 18,538 | $53,103 | $296,597 |
| 52 | Macon County | 37,088 | $51,042 | $332,033 |
| 53 | Randolph County | 144,403 | $56,423 | $241,205 |
| 54 | Stokes County | 44,696 | $57,539 | $225,434 |
| 55 | Ashe County | 26,759 | $49,176 | $329,158 |
| 56 | Yadkin County | 37,280 | $57,486 | $217,206 |
| 57 | Mitchell County | 14,989 | $55,534 | $233,028 |
| 58 | Mcdowell County | 44,629 | $53,532 | $246,605 |
| 59 | Nash County | 95,015 | $56,770 | $218,427 |
| 60 | Beaufort County | 44,711 | $56,081 | $226,161 |
| 61 | Cherokee County | 28,868 | $49,254 | $282,944 |
| 62 | Pitt County | 171,196 | $54,915 | $234,438 |
| 63 | Burke County | 87,799 | $53,732 | $228,914 |
| 64 | Caswell County | 22,747 | $56,999 | $183,631 |
| 65 | Cumberland County | 335,207 | $55,551 | $201,143 |
| 66 | Montgomery County | 25,839 | $55,523 | $213,328 |
| 67 | Gates County | 10,509 | $55,750 | $196,610 |
| 68 | Chowan County | 13,835 | $51,188 | $226,256 |
| 69 | Surry County | 71,429 | $52,743 | $215,930 |
| 70 | Caldwell County | 80,716 | $52,362 | $207,681 |
| 71 | Alleghany County | 10,989 | $42,115 | $258,998 |
| 72 | Wayne County | 117,480 | $54,323 | $168,761 |
| 73 | Graham County | 8,047 | $46,010 | $244,846 |
| 74 | Tyrrell County | 3,389 | $55,341 | $162,277 |
| 75 | Hyde County | 4,636 | $43,724 | $246,236 |
| 76 | Warren County | 18,803 | $42,282 | $247,076 |
| 77 | Rutherford County | 64,680 | $50,512 | $198,335 |
| 78 | Wilkes County | 66,125 | $49,119 | $223,485 |
| 79 | Cleveland County | 99,527 | $50,723 | $182,764 |
| 80 | Rockingham County | 91,209 | $50,737 | $178,750 |
| 81 | Wilson County | 78,667 | $49,827 | $198,320 |
| 82 | Jones County | 9,263 | $53,053 | $127,771 |
| 83 | Greene County | 20,407 | $50,320 | $164,605 |
| 84 | Duplin County | 49,312 | $49,376 | $162,717 |
| 85 | Vance County | 42,492 | $48,340 | $171,866 |
| 86 | Sampson County | 59,317 | $49,963 | $130,031 |
| 87 | Columbus County | 50,827 | $43,206 | $181,762 |
| 88 | Edgecombe County | 49,067 | $46,370 | $143,297 |
| 89 | Lenoir County | 55,071 | $43,063 | $132,332 |
| 90 | Northampton County | 17,528 | $45,698 | $122,414 |
| 91 | Martin County | 21,992 | $44,799 | $111,996 |
| 92 | Hertford County | 21,633 | $46,196 | $107,118 |
| 93 | Richmond County | 43,149 | $42,354 | $122,004 |
| 94 | Bladen County | 29,807 | $40,476 | $134,163 |
| 95 | Scotland County | 34,222 | $41,948 | $129,675 |
| 96 | Anson County | 22,200 | $42,000 | $109,753 |
| 97 | Robeson County | 117,573 | $39,393 | $127,047 |
| 98 | Bertie County | 17,818 | $41,652 | $55,749 |
| 99 | Halifax County | 48,772 | $41,629 | $84,518 |
| 100 | Washington County | 11,051 | $38,927 | $109,122 |
