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County Tier Systems

The tier system is a designation that is incorporated into various state incentive programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

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The North Carolina Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being and assigns each a tier designation. The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3. This tier system is incorporated into various state incentive programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

North Carolina County Tier Designation Map

2025 Tier Designation Map

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North Carolina Tier Designation Table

County	Tier	Average Annual Wage
Alamance	2	$51,573
Alexander	1	$43,110
Alleghany	2	$40,173
Anson	1	$43,678
Ashe	2	$46,855
Avery	2	$41,009
Beaufort	1	$47,723
Bertie	1	$40,392
Bladen	1	$46,867
Brunswick	3	$49,456
Buncombe	3	$55,607
Burke	2	$46,037
Cabarrus	3	$51,469
Caldwell	1	$50,083
Camden	2	$48,011
Carteret	3	$42,433
Caswell	1	$45,278
Catawba	2	$54,280
Chatham	3	$50,048
Cherokee	2	$42,717
Chowan	2	$46,384
Clay	2	$46,253
Cleveland	1	$50,379
Columbus	1	$44,081
Craven	2	$48,770
Cumberland	1	$47,175
Currituck	3	$43,226
Dare	2	$42,519
Davidson	2	$53,759
Davie	2	$50,136
Duplin	2	$44,768
Durham	3	$97,531
Edgecombe	1	$44,595
Forsyth	2	$65,319
Franklin	2	$55,216
Gaston	2	$52,180
Gates	2	$44,767
Graham	1	$46,628
Granville	3	$52,635
Greene	1	$39,698
Guilford	2	$60,195
Halifax	1	$42,803
Harnett	2	$43,133
Haywood	3	$44,423
Henderson	3	$51,565
Hertford	1	$46,491
Hoke	1	$42,659
Hyde	1	$38,378
Iredell	3	$62,669
Jackson	2	$44,508
Johnston	3	$54,348
Jones	2	$46,097
Lee	2	$55,959
Lenoir	1	$48,683
Lincoln	3	$53,489
Macon	2	$45,280
Madison	2	$45,517
Martin	1	$36,479
McDowell	1	$45,256
Mecklenburg	3	$86,830
Mitchell	1	$49,202
Montgomery	1	$47,686
Moore	3	$53,255
Nash	1	$51,927
New Hanover	3	$59,874
Northampton	1	$49,123
Onslow	2	$40,888
Orange	3	$69,728
Pamlico	2	$33,314
Pasquotank	2	$46,181
Pender	3	$43,828
Perquimans	2	$42,840
Person	2	$48,674
Pitt	1	$52,773
Polk	2	$42,425
Randolph	1	$49,355
Richmond	1	$44,153
Robeson	1	$42,964
Rockingham	1	$44,120
Rowan	2	$53,931
Rutherford	1	$46,673
Sampson	1	$46,835
Scotland	1	$46,708
Stanly	2	$41,313
Stokes	2	$37,879
Surry	1	$47,427
Swain	2	$35,809
Transylvania	2	$47,158
Tyrrell	1	$41,452
Union	3	$59,954
Vance	1	$45,193
Wake	3	$76,643
Warren	1	$34,526
Washington	1	$49,687
Watauga	2	$43,131
Wayne	1	$46,211
Wilkes	1	$46,853
Wilson	1	$54,067
Yadkin	2	$44,104
Yancey	2	$45,893

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Other Incentives

North Carolina offers offers targeted, performance-based programs to help businesses grow in North Carolina.

Job Development Investment Grant

A discretionary program that helps businesses offset the cost of locating or expanding within the state.

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County Tier System

A designation that is incorporated into various incentive programs to encourage economic activity throughout the state.

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