| | County Economic Status, FY 2012 | Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate, 2007–2009 | Per Capita Market Income, 2008 | Poverty Rate, 2005–2009 | Three-Year Avg. Unemp. Rate, Percent of U.S. Avg., 2007–2009 | Per Capita Market Income, Percent of U.S. Average, 2008 | PCMI, Percent of U.S. Avg., Inversed, 2008 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 2005–2009 | Composite Index Value, FY 2012 | Index Value Rank (of 3,110 counties in U.S., 1 is the best), FY 2012 | Quartile (1 is the best), FY 2012 |
|
| United States | - | 6.6% | $34,004 | 13.5% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian Region | - | 6.8% | $25,391 | 15.4% | 103.6% | 74.7% | 133.9% | 114.2% | - | - | - |
| North Carolina | - | 7.2% | $29,101 | 15.1% | 109.5% | 85.6% | 116.8% | 111.8% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian North Carolina | - | 7.2% | $25,418 | 15.3% | 109.8% | 74.7% | 133.8% | 113.6% | - | - | - |
|
| County |
| Alexander | Transitional | 8.8% | $23,227 | 14.8% | 134.1% | 68.3% | 146.4% | 110.1% | 130.2 | 2,066 | 3 |
| Alleghany | At-Risk | 8.0% | $19,831 | 26.5% | 122.3% | 58.3% | 171.5% | 196.4% | 163.4 | 2,788 | 4 |
| Ashe | Transitional | 7.7% | $20,422 | 16.7% | 118.1% | 60.1% | 166.5% | 124.0% | 136.2 | 2,233 | 3 |
| Avery | Transitional | 6.5% | $20,574 | 13.1% | 99.2% | 60.5% | 165.3% | 97.6% | 120.7 | 1,770 | 3 |
| Buncombe | Transitional | 5.6% | $28,145 | 13.8% | 85.3% | 82.8% | 120.8% | 102.4% | 102.8 | 1,130 | 2 |
| Burke | At-Risk | 9.5% | $22,736 | 16.9% | 144.7% | 66.9% | 149.6% | 125.8% | 140.0 | 2,345 | 4 |
| Caldwell | At-Risk | 10.0% | $20,700 | 15.7% | 152.8% | 60.9% | 164.3% | 116.8% | 144.6 | 2,443 | 4 |
| Cherokee | At-Risk | 10.1% | $15,394 | 14.6% | 153.4% | 45.3% | 220.9% | 108.6% | 161.0 | 2,747 | 4 |
| Clay | At-Risk | 7.2% | $19,117 | 18.2% | 110.3% | 56.2% | 177.9% | 135.3% | 141.2 | 2,371 | 4 |
| Davie | Transitional | 7.5% | $30,241 | 10.9% | 113.8% | 88.9% | 112.4% | 81.2% | 102.5 | 1,119 | 2 |
| Forsyth | Transitional | 6.6% | $31,305 | 14.7% | 100.3% | 92.1% | 108.6% | 108.9% | 105.9 | 1,236 | 2 |
| Graham | Distressed | 11.0% | $17,996 | 21.3% | 168.5% | 52.9% | 189.0% | 158.2% | 171.9 | 2,873 | 4 |
| Haywood | Transitional | 6.5% | $23,009 | 12.7% | 98.8% | 67.7% | 147.8% | 94.0% | 113.5 | 1,534 | 2 |
| Henderson | Transitional | 5.8% | $28,333 | 12.1% | 88.1% | 83.3% | 120.0% | 89.9% | 99.4 | 993 | 2 |
| Jackson | Transitional | 5.8% | $23,388 | 20.1% | 87.8% | 68.8% | 145.4% | 148.9% | 127.4 | 1,981 | 3 |
| Macon | Transitional | 6.8% | $21,976 | 14.4% | 104.2% | 64.6% | 154.7% | 106.6% | 121.9 | 1,813 | 3 |
| Madison | Transitional | 6.4% | $19,915 | 16.9% | 97.9% | 58.6% | 170.7% | 125.3% | 131.3 | 2,098 | 3 |
| McDowell | At-Risk | 9.5% | $18,265 | 15.2% | 145.1% | 53.7% | 186.2% | 113.0% | 148.1 | 2,527 | 4 |
| Mitchell | At-Risk | 9.1% | $17,590 | 16.5% | 138.2% | 51.7% | 193.3% | 122.3% | 151.3 | 2,587 | 4 |
| Polk | Transitional | 5.7% | $32,298 | 13.4% | 87.0% | 95.0% | 105.3% | 99.3% | 97.2 | 899 | 2 |
| Rutherford | At-Risk | 10.0% | $19,833 | 18.0% | 152.5% | 58.3% | 171.4% | 133.7% | 152.6 | 2,612 | 4 |
| Stokes | Transitional | 6.9% | $22,879 | 10.9% | 105.5% | 67.3% | 148.6% | 80.7% | 111.6 | 1,449 | 2 |
| Surry | Transitional | 8.4% | $22,234 | 16.8% | 128.3% | 65.4% | 152.9% | 124.5% | 135.2 | 2,203 | 3 |
| Swain | At-Risk | 8.5% | $18,493 | 22.7% | 129.2% | 54.4% | 183.9% | 168.9% | 160.7 | 2,744 | 4 |
| Transylvania | Transitional | 6.0% | $25,282 | 15.6% | 91.2% | 74.3% | 134.5% | 115.6% | 113.8 | 1,546 | 2 |
| Watauga | Transitional | 5.2% | $27,049 | 22.5% | 79.6% | 79.5% | 125.7% | 167.1% | 124.1 | 1,881 | 3 |
| Wilkes | Transitional | 8.4% | $23,894 | 18.7% | 128.1% | 70.3% | 142.3% | 139.0% | 136.5 | 2,244 | 3 |
| Yadkin | Transitional | 6.7% | $22,605 | 14.4% | 102.8% | 66.5% | 150.4% | 106.9% | 120.1 | 1,747 | 3 |
| Yancey | At-Risk | 8.4% | $16,008 | 18.0% | 127.9% | 47.1% | 212.4% | 133.6% | 158.0 | 2,705 | 4 |
