| | County Economic Status, FY 2004 | Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate, 1999-2001 | Per Capita Market Income, 2000 | Poverty Rate, 2000 | Three-Year Avg. Unemp. Rate, Percent of U.S. Avg., 1999-2001 | Per Capita Market Income, Percent of U.S. Average, 2000 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 2000 |
|
| United States | - | 4.3% | $25,676 | 12.4% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Appalachian Region | - | 4.7% | $19,736 | 13.6% | 108.3% | 76.9% | 110.2% |
| North Carolina | - | 4.1% | $23,311 | 12.3% | 95.2% | 90.8% | 99.2% |
| Appalachian North Carolina | - | 3.9% | $21,548 | 11.7% | 90.3% | 83.9% | 94.7% |
|
| County |
| Alexander | Competitive | 3.6% | $20,546 | 8.5% | 83.0% | 80.0% | 68.5% |
| Alleghany | Transitional | 6.3% | $20,704 | 17.2% | 145.5% | 80.6% | 138.6% |
| Ashe | Transitional | 7.3% | $17,898 | 13.5% | 168.4% | 69.7% | 108.7% |
| Avery | Transitional | 3.7% | $19,539 | 15.3% | 85.9% | 76.1% | 123.3% |
| Buncombe | Competitive | 2.8% | $23,114 | 11.4% | 64.9% | 90.0% | 92.4% |
| Burke | Transitional | 4.1% | $18,038 | 10.7% | 95.7% | 70.3% | 86.3% |
| Caldwell | Competitive | 3.7% | $20,942 | 10.7% | 84.7% | 81.6% | 86.5% |
| Cherokee | Transitional | 7.4% | $12,962 | 15.3% | 171.6% | 50.5% | 123.9% |
| Clay | Transitional | 3.7% | $16,181 | 11.4% | 85.3% | 63.0% | 92.4% |
| Davie | Competitive | 4.0% | $25,570 | 8.6% | 91.8% | 99.6% | 69.5% |
| Forsyth | Attainment | 3.1% | $28,772 | 11.0% | 70.8% | 112.1% | 89.2% |
| Graham | Distressed | 8.2% | $13,499 | 19.5% | 189.3% | 52.6% | 157.6% |
| Haywood | Transitional | 4.5% | $17,828 | 11.5% | 103.8% | 69.4% | 93.0% |
| Henderson | Competitive | 2.6% | $21,864 | 9.7% | 60.3% | 85.2% | 78.5% |
| Jackson | Transitional | 3.7% | $17,409 | 15.1% | 86.3% | 67.8% | 122.2% |
| Macon | Transitional | 3.6% | $18,170 | 12.6% | 83.6% | 70.8% | 102.0% |
| Madison | Transitional | 3.7% | $15,856 | 15.4% | 86.3% | 61.8% | 124.3% |
| McDowell | Transitional | 5.6% | $16,549 | 11.6% | 128.8% | 64.5% | 93.8% |
| Mitchell | Transitional | 7.2% | $15,843 | 13.8% | 165.7% | 61.7% | 111.7% |
| Polk | Competitive | 3.3% | $25,423 | 10.1% | 75.3% | 99.0% | 81.4% |
| Rutherford | Transitional | 7.6% | $16,848 | 13.9% | 175.5% | 65.6% | 112.4% |
| Stokes | Transitional | 3.5% | $19,270 | 9.1% | 80.7% | 75.1% | 73.3% |
| Surry | Transitional | 4.8% | $19,176 | 12.4% | 111.9% | 74.7% | 100.3% |
| Swain | Transitional | 11.7% | $12,309 | 18.3% | 269.6% | 47.9% | 147.9% |
| Transylvania | Transitional | 3.0% | $20,348 | 9.5% | 70.2% | 79.2% | 76.6% |
| Watauga | Transitional | 1.7% | $20,301 | 17.9% | 38.3% | 79.1% | 144.7% |
| Wilkes | Transitional | 3.9% | $20,127 | 11.9% | 89.6% | 78.4% | 95.8% |
| Yadkin | Transitional | 3.6% | $19,097 | 10.0% | 82.9% | 74.4% | 80.5% |
| Yancey | Transitional | 7.4% | $14,776 | 15.8% | 169.8% | 57.5% | 127.4% |
