THE TAR HEEL STATE

North Carolina

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State snapshot

North Carolina facts

Explore dated, statewide figures across taxes and the economy, housing, public safety, health, education, and other civic topics.

Explore North Carolina individual facts and compare every state →

14 topic facts + fiscal overview + 9 state trends + 439 reviewed government links

Public money

How North Carolina funds state services

The FY2026–27 enacted General Fund appropriation, audited statewide tax revenue, and appropriations by service area. Each section keeps its own fiscal period and accounting scope; state and local taxes are separate.

Enacted budget plan

$34.4BFY2026–27

Signed July 7, 2026

FY2026–27 net General Fund appropriation

July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027

Exact reported total: $34,374,286,763

Revised net General Fund appropriations enacted for FY2026–27. Net appropriations are agency requirements less budgeted receipts; the total does not include the Highway Fund, Highway Trust Fund, federal block grants, or other non-General-Fund activity.

North Carolina General Assembly, Fiscal Research Division: Joint Conference Committee Report on the Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2026

FY2025 audited actual

Where state tax revenue comes from

$38.4B$38,391,912,000

Shares of the $38.4 billion in taxes reported as general revenue by North Carolina's governmental activities. This denominator excludes federal grants, service charges, investment income, business-type activities, and locally collected property taxes.

Individual income tax$17.1B · 44.5%

The largest audited state-tax category, representing individual income-tax general revenue recognized by governmental activities.

Sales and use tax$12.5B · 32.6%

State sales and use tax revenue reported in the audited government-wide statement.

Motor-fuels and highway-use taxes$3.8B · 9.9%

The combined audited motor-fuels and highway-use tax lines that support transportation-related activity.

Corporate income and franchise taxes$2.2B · 5.8%

Corporate income-tax and franchise-tax general revenue combined from the audited statement.

Insurance tax$1.5B · 3.8%

State insurance-tax revenue recognized by governmental activities.

Beverage, wagering, tobacco, and other taxes$1.3B · 3.4%

The complete combined total of the four remaining audited tax lines.

FY2026–27 enacted net appropriations

FY2026–27 General Fund spending plan

$34.4B$34,374,286,763

Every service-area total in the official $34.4 billion revised net General Fund budget is included exactly once. The categories reconcile to the enacted net appropriation above.

Education$19.4B · 56.5%

Public schools, community colleges, the University of North Carolina system, and state schools for students with sensory disabilities.

Health and human services$9.3B · 27.2%

Medicaid and health benefits, mental health, public health, child welfare, aging, social services, and related programs.

Justice and public safety$4.2B · 12.1%

Courts, indigent defense, adult correction, justice, public safety, the State Bureau of Investigation, and Highway Patrol.

Agriculture, natural resources, and economic development$814.2M · 2.4%

Agriculture, commerce, environmental quality, labor, natural and cultural resources, and wildlife programs.

General government$521.4M · 1.5%

Statewide administration, elections, the General Assembly, revenue administration, constitutional offices, and other support agencies.

Information technology$94.3M · 0.3%

Net General Fund support for the Department of Information Technology.

Statewide pay-plan reserve$25.0M · 0.1%

The remaining enacted General Fund reserve for the statewide pay plan.

Tax structure

Common statewide rates

Property and district rates can be local. Each card states the applicable scope.

Individual income tax

3.99%Flat North Carolina individual income-tax rate for taxable years beginning after 2025.North Carolina Department of Revenue: Individual Income Tax Rate Schedules

Sales and use tax

6.75%–8.25% totalThe state rate is 4.75%; county, transit, and Mecklenburg's additional local rate produce the listed combined range as of July 1, 2026.North Carolina Department of Revenue: Current Sales and Use Tax Rates

Corporate income tax

2.00%North Carolina corporate income-tax rate for the 2026 tax year; separate franchise-tax rules also apply to many corporations.North Carolina Department of Revenue: Corporate Income and Franchise Tax Rates

Property tax

Local rates varyCounties and municipalities set property-tax rates; the Department of Revenue publishes the official local-rate tables rather than a single statewide rate.North Carolina Department of Revenue: County and Municipal Property Tax Rates

Latest audited results

Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Audited government-wide activity for North Carolina's primary government. Revenue includes program and general revenue; these are accrual-accounting results, not the FY2026–27 General Fund appropriation.

North Carolina Office of the State Controller: 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Government-wide revenue: $93.2B
Government-wide expenses: $87.2B

Method, scope, and limitations

FactVote used the exact revised net General Fund appropriation enacted for FY2026–27 and retained every official service-area total as a mutually exclusive category. Audited tax-source shares and government-wide results come from the FY2025 Statement of Activities. Shares are recalculated from exact amounts within each section; enacted net appropriations and audited accrual results are never mixed.

North Carolina's $34.4 billion enacted headline covers net General Fund appropriations only; it is not an all-funds total.
Net appropriations subtract budgeted agency receipts from requirements and therefore differ from gross program spending.
Local real-property taxes and local portions of sales taxes are not included in the state governmental-activity tax total.

Last verified August 28, 2026 · Review by July 31, 2027 · North Carolina figures refresh annually.

Taxes and the economy

Taxes, government spending, jobs, wages, and small business.

Taxes and economy

$72,388

Median household income

2020–2024 estimate

Median inflation-adjusted money income received by North Carolina households during the five-year estimate period.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts estimate derived from the American Community Survey.

Keep in mind

Household income is not take-home pay and does not account directly for taxes, benefits, household size, debt, or local costs.
This multi-year survey estimate is not a current economic forecast.

Related state trends

Taxes and economy over time

Employment and unemployment place the latest economic facts in a longer statewide context.

Work

Employment and unemployment

3.7%unemployed

The unemployment rate is paired with employed North Carolinians indexed to 2015, so job recovery and labor-market slack remain readable on separate scales.

Unemployment rate
Employed people

Unemployment rate: 3.7%
Employed people: 5.1M
Employment since 2015: +14.9%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Unemployment rate

North Carolina: 3.7%
U.S. benchmark: 4.0%
State rank #1 has the highest unemployment rate — worse: #23 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED: National unemployment rate

View chart data

Year	Unemployment rate	Employed people	Employment index
2015	5.7%	4,441,253	100.0
2016	5.1%	4,538,202	102.2
2017	4.5%	4,637,616	104.4
2018	4.0%	4,708,294	106.0
2019	3.9%	4,792,188	107.9
2020	7.2%	4,482,629	100.9
2021	4.8%	4,714,601	106.2
2022	3.7%	4,996,908	112.5
2023	3.5%	5,088,209	114.6
2024	3.7%	5,101,603	114.9

Method and limitations

FactVote uses BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics annual averages for the statewide unemployment rate and civilian employment. The chart converts employment to an index with 2015 equal to 100; the data table retains the published employment level.

LAUS estimates are revised each year through the program's annual processing cycle.
Employment is residence-based civilian employment, not a count of jobs located in the state.
Annual averages smooth within-year changes.

Housing and property costs

Housing supply, affordability, renters, zoning, and property costs.

Housing

$1,228/month

Median gross rent

2020–2024 estimate

Median monthly gross rent for occupied rental units paying cash rent, including contract rent and estimated tenant-paid utilities.

View breakdowns and source

Other statewide housing measures

Median owner-occupied home value: $288,900
Owner costs with a mortgage: $1,631/month
Owner-occupied housing rate: 66.6%

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts estimates derived from the American Community Survey.

Keep in mind

This statewide five-year estimate can differ substantially from current asking rents and local conditions.
Owner measures describe occupied homes and do not estimate today's purchase price or mortgage rate.

Related state trends

Housing over time

Home values and household income show how North Carolina housing costs and purchasing power have changed together.

Housing pressure

Home prices versus income growth

+106.5%home prices

FHFA house prices and BEA personal income per person are indexed to the same starting year. A widening gap signals that home prices are rising faster than this broad income measure.

FHFA home prices
Income per person

Home-price growth: +106.5%
Income growth: +60.8%
Income per person: $68,511

U.S. comparison & state rank2025

Home-price growth

North Carolina: +106.5%
U.S. benchmark: +86.6%
State rank #1 has the fastest home-price growth — depends on perspective: #11 of 50

Income growth

North Carolina: +60.8%
U.S. benchmark: +55.9%
State rank #1 has the fastest income growth — better: #15 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.Federal Housing Finance Agency: U.S. House Price Index U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis via FRED: U.S. personal income per capita

View chart data

Year	FHFA HPI	Home-price index	Income per person	Income index
2016	256.91	100.0	$42,596	100.0
2017	268.02	104.3	$44,219	103.8
2018	283.31	110.3	$46,048	108.1
2019	299.07	116.4	$48,374	113.6
2020	316.92	123.4	$51,814	121.6
2021	365.43	142.2	$57,227	134.3
2022	445.29	173.3	$59,120	138.8
2023	481.11	187.3	$62,287	146.2
2024	509.51	198.3	$65,598	154.0
2025	530.56	206.5	$68,511	160.8

Method and limitations

FactVote averages the four quarterly, not-seasonally-adjusted FHFA all-transactions HPI observations for each year. It compares that series with BEA annual per-capita personal income distributed by FRED, then rebases both to 100 in 2016.

This is a pressure indicator, not a home-price-to-income ratio and not a measure of monthly mortgage affordability.
Both series are nominal; neither is adjusted for inflation.
Per-capita personal income includes earnings, property income, and transfers and is not median household income.

Public safety and criminal justice

Policing, crime prevention, sentencing, incarceration, and rehabilitation.

Public safety and justice

382.9 per 100,000

Reported violent-crime rate

2024

Violent offenses reported to law enforcement per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

FactVote sums the 12 monthly state offense rates returned by the FBI Crime Data Explorer for each calendar year. The accompanying coverage value is the mean of the 12 monthly population-coverage percentages returned with the same query.

Keep in mind

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
North Carolina's average monthly population coverage was below 90% in 2017 and 2019; those years are flagged and should not be treated as directly comparable with the higher-coverage years.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.
Average monthly population coverage in 2024 was 97.1%; this is not complete statewide reporting.

Public safety and justice

2,007.7 per 100,000

Reported property-crime rate

2024

Property offenses reported to law enforcement per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

Keep in mind

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
North Carolina's average monthly population coverage was below 90% in 2017 and 2019; those years are flagged and should not be treated as directly comparable with the higher-coverage years.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.
Average monthly population coverage in 2024 was 97.1%; this is not complete statewide reporting.

Public safety and justice

39,812

Violent crimes reported to participating agencies

2024

Murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated-assault offenses reported to participating North Carolina law-enforcement agencies under the Uniform Crime Reporting program.

North Carolina388.4 per 100,000

United States359.1 per 100,000

North Carolina's published rate was 29.3 offenses per 100,000 higher than the national estimate.

View breakdowns and source

North Carolina and U.S. context

Reported violent-crime rate

North Carolina: 388.4 per 100,000
United States: 359.1 per 100,000

North Carolina's published rate was 29.3 offenses per 100,000 higher than the national estimate.

North Carolina's SBI rate uses agency-reported UCR data; the FBI national figure is an estimate. The comparison is contextual and not evidence of a policy effect.Federal Bureau of Investigation: Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2024

Violent-crime categories

Murder: 789
Rape: 2,982
Robbery: 5,404
Aggravated assault: 30,637

How it was measured

North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation summary-based UCR reporting.

Keep in mind

Reported offenses are not the same as arrests, prosecutions, convictions, victimization-survey estimates, or every crime that occurred.
Changes can reflect reporting participation, definitions, and recording practices as well as underlying crime.

Related state trends

Public safety and justice over time

Reported violent- and property-crime rates are shown with the coverage cautions needed to compare years responsibly.

Public safety

Reported violent and property crime rates

97.1% coverage

Reported offenses per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions. Amber points flag years when average monthly population coverage was below 90%.

Violent crime
Property crime
Partial reporting

Violent crime: 382.9 per 100k
Property crime: 2007.7 per 100k
Population coverage: 97.1%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Violent-crime rate

North Carolina: 382.9 per 100k
U.S. benchmark: 359.1 per 100k
State rank #1 has the highest violent-crime rate — worse: #19 of 50

Property-crime rate

North Carolina: 2007.7 per 100k
U.S. benchmark: 1760.1 per 100k
State rank #1 has the highest property-crime rate — worse: #13 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.An asterisk marks a state-year with less than 90% average population coverage. The U.S. figures are FBI national estimates; state figures are reported rates.Federal Bureau of Investigation: UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2024

View chart data

Year	Violent rate	Property rate	Population coverage
2015	335.6 per 100k	2701.9 per 100k	90.2%
2016	356.2 per 100k	2673.3 per 100k	90.3%
2017	365.0 per 100k	2604.7 per 100k	87.8% · partial
2018	342.1 per 100k	2297.7 per 100k	93.1%
2019	409.8 per 100k	2517.7 per 100k	87.7% · partial
2020	442.1 per 100k	2279.6 per 100k	95.7%
2021	424.4 per 100k	2115.3 per 100k	97.5%
2022	411.4 per 100k	2101.9 per 100k	97.5%
2023	404.0 per 100k	2114.0 per 100k	97.6%
2024	382.9 per 100k	2007.7 per 100k	97.1%

Method and limitations

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
North Carolina's average monthly population coverage was below 90% in 2017 and 2019; those years are flagged and should not be treated as directly comparable with the higher-coverage years.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.

Healthcare

Coverage, prescription costs, Medicaid, and access to care.

Healthcare

10.3%

People under 65 without health insurance

2024 ACS annual estimate

Share of North Carolina’s civilian noninstitutionalized residents under age 65 who lacked comprehensive health-insurance coverage at the time of the ACS survey.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts estimate.

Keep in mind

This excludes people age 65 and older and is a annual survey estimate, not a current enrollment count.
Insurance status does not measure affordability, provider access, coverage adequacy, or care quality.

Related state trends

Healthcare over time

Health-insurance coverage and life expectancy provide separate views of access and population health over time.

Health coverage

Residents without health insurance

8.6%uninsured

The share of the civilian noninstitutionalized population without health insurance at the time of the American Community Survey interview.

Uninsured rate
90% confidence margin

Uninsured rate: 8.6%
Margin of error: ±0.2 points

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Uninsured rate

North Carolina: 8.6%
U.S. benchmark: 8.2%
State rank #1 has the highest uninsured rate — worse: #16 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Census Bureau: HIC-4_ACS health insurance coverage

View chart data

Year	Uninsured rate	90% margin of error
2014	13.1%	±0.3 points
2015	11.2%	±0.2 points
2016	10.4%	±0.2 points
2017	10.7%	±0.2 points
2018	10.7%	±0.2 points
2019	11.3%	±0.3 points
2020	Not released	—
2021	10.4%	±0.2 points
2022	9.3%	±0.2 points
2023	9.2%	±0.3 points
2024	8.6%	±0.2 points

Method and limitations

FactVote uses the Census Bureau's HIC-4_ACS historical table. Rates and 90% confidence margins of error are the published ACS 1-year estimates for the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

The Census Bureau did not release the standard 2020 ACS 1-year estimates because pandemic-era data collection did not meet its quality standards; the chart preserves that gap.
The rate is a survey estimate and the accompanying margin of error should be considered when comparing nearby values.
Coverage is measured at the interview and does not show how long someone was uninsured during the year.

Health outcomes

Life expectancy at birth

75.9 yearsat birth

Period life expectancy at birth based on North Carolina's annual complete life tables and final state-specific death data.

Life expectancy at birth

U.S. comparison & state rank2022

Life expectancy

North Carolina: 75.9 years
U.S. benchmark: 77.5 years
State rank #1 has the highest life expectancy — better: #35 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.CDC National Center for Health Statistics: U.S. state life tables, 2018–2022

View chart data

Year	Life expectancy at birth
2018	77.6 years
2019	77.6 years
2020	76.1 years
2021	74.9 years
2022	75.9 years

Method and limitations

FactVote uses CDC National Center for Health Statistics annual complete life-table estimates for the total North Carolina population. Values are rounded to the published tenth of a year.

The latest published comparable state series ends in 2022, even though newer national life-expectancy estimates may be available.
Period life expectancy summarizes current mortality rates; it is not a forecast of how long a particular person will live.
The 2020 and 2021 estimates reflect the mortality shock during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education

Public schools, school choice, teachers, and higher education.

Education

87.7%

Four-year public-school graduation rate

2024–25 school year

Share of the 2021–22 entering ninth-grade cohort that graduated within four years under North Carolina's accountability methodology.

View breakdowns and source

Official student-group rates

Economically disadvantaged students: 83.3%
English learners: 71.8%
Students with disabilities: 72.6%

How it was measured

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction statewide cohort-graduation reporting.

Keep in mind

This is a cohort outcome, not a measure of academic proficiency, postsecondary readiness, or school quality by itself.
Subgroup differences do not establish the cause of an outcome.

Related state trends

Education over time

Comparable NAEP assessment years show changes in statewide reading and mathematics performance.

Education

NAEP reading and math scores

213.4Grade 4 reading

Grade 4 and Grade 8 public-school mean scale scores from the Nation's Report Card. Reading and math are shown within each grade on their own panel.

Reading · circle
Math · square

Grade 4 reading: 213.4
Grade 4 math: 238.9
Grade 8 reading: 254.9
Grade 8 math: 275.8

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Grade 4 reading

North Carolina: 213.4
U.S. benchmark: 215.0
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #32 of 50

Grade 4 math

North Carolina: 238.9
U.S. benchmark: 237.5
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #19 of 50

Grade 8 reading

North Carolina: 254.9
U.S. benchmark: 258.0
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #35 of 50

Grade 8 math

North Carolina: 275.8
U.S. benchmark: 273.8
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #20 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.State ranks use public-school results. The U.S. benchmark includes the national public- and nonpublic-school sample.U.S. Department of Education, NCES: NAEP national results

View chart data

Assessment year	Grade 4 reading	Grade 4 math	Grade 8 reading	Grade 8 math
2003	221.2	242.0	261.7	281.2
2005	217.1	241.2	258.2	281.8
2007	217.9	241.6	259.1	283.9
2009	219.3	243.8	259.5	284.3
2011	221.4	244.5	262.9	286.3
2013	222.2	244.8	264.5	285.6
2015	225.8	243.7	260.6	281.3
2017	223.9	241.0	262.7	281.9
2019	221.3	241.4	262.5	283.7
2022	216.1	236.0	256.2	273.7
2024	213.4	238.9	254.9	275.8

Method and limitations

FactVote uses NAEP Data Service mean scale scores for all public-school students in North Carolina. The series uses the total student group and the main reading and mathematics composite scales for Grade 4 and Grade 8.

NAEP is generally administered every two years; the 2021 administration was postponed, so the timeline moves from 2019 to 2022.
NAEP results are estimates from a sample. Statistical significance, not a visual gap alone, determines whether scores differ.
Each grade and subject has its own scale. Follow one line over time rather than comparing the numeric distance between grades or subjects.

Environment and energy

Clean water, conservation, climate, and energy production.

Environment

9,901.1 MW

Renewable generating capacity

June 2026

Net summer generating capacity at North Carolina utility-scale facilities using primarily renewable energy sources.

View breakdowns and source

Utility-scale renewable capacity

Solar photovoltaic: 7,083.0 MW
Hydroelectric: 2,012.0 MW
Wind: 397.0 MW
Biomass: 409.1 MW

How it was measured

U.S. Energy Information Administration Electric Power Monthly generator reporting.

Keep in mind

Capacity is not actual electricity generation, total energy use, emissions, reliability, or consumer cost.
Small-scale solar is estimated separately and is not included in the 9,901.9 MW utility-scale total.

Environment

$3.78/gal

Lower Atlantic regular gasoline price

Week of August 31, 2026

Estimated average retail price of regular-grade gasoline across all formulations, including taxes, in EIA's Lower Atlantic petroleum subdistrict. The region includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

North Carolina$3.783/gal

United States$4.071/gal

The Lower Atlantic average was 28.8 cents per gallon lower, or about 7.1% below the U.S. average.

View breakdowns and source

North Carolina and U.S. context

Regular gasoline price

North Carolina: $3.783/gal
United States: $4.071/gal

The Lower Atlantic average was 28.8 cents per gallon lower, or about 7.1% below the U.S. average.

Both figures are EIA weekly retail estimates for regular gasoline, including taxes, for the week of August 31, 2026. The North Carolina-side figure is the Lower Atlantic regional average, not a North Carolina statewide estimate.U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices

Recent weekly prices

Prior week: $3.785/gal
Weekly change: −0.2¢
One year earlier: $2.912/gal
Change from one year earlier: +87.1¢

How it was measured

U.S. Energy Information Administration weekly retail motor-gasoline survey estimate for the Lower Atlantic region. FactVote displays the published dollars-per-gallon value and calculates changes from EIA's published prior-week and nearest year-earlier weekly observations.

Keep in mind

EIA does not publish a current North Carolina statewide weekly gasoline-price series; this Lower Atlantic regional estimate should not be read as North Carolina's statewide average.
The regional estimate combines six states and does not represent the price at every station or in every North Carolina community.
The series is nominal and not adjusted for inflation or seasonal patterns, and weekly estimates can be revised.

Related state trends

Environment over time

North Carolina electricity generation, residential power prices, and gasoline prices show how the state's energy costs and supply have changed.

Energy

Electricity mix and residential price

14.13¢/kWhresidential average

In-state electricity generation by energy source is paired with the annual average residential electricity price on a separate scale.

Natural gas41.1%
Coal12.6%
Nuclear32.1%
Solar8.8%
Hydroelectric3.6%
Wind0.4%
Other1.4%

Residential price: 14.13¢/kWh
Total generation: 135.0 TWh
Largest source: Natural gas · 41.1%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Residential electricity price

North Carolina: 14.13¢/kWh
U.S. benchmark: 16.48¢/kWh
State rank #1 has the highest electricity price — worse: #33 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Energy Information Administration: National residential electricity price

View chart data

Year	Total generation	Natural gas	Coal	Nuclear	Solar	Hydroelectric	Wind	Other	Residential price
2015	128.395 TWh	36.545 TWh	39.922 TWh	42.097 TWh	1.380 TWh	4.742 TWh	0.000 TWh	3.709 TWh	11.28¢/kWh
2016	130.791 TWh	39.251 TWh	37.436 TWh	42.786 TWh	3.433 TWh	4.417 TWh	0.006 TWh	3.462 TWh	11.03¢/kWh
2017	128.480 TWh	38.590 TWh	34.460 TWh	42.374 TWh	5.126 TWh	3.818 TWh	0.471 TWh	3.641 TWh	10.94¢/kWh
2018	134.264 TWh	43.446 TWh	31.690 TWh	42.077 TWh	6.125 TWh	6.605 TWh	0.543 TWh	3.778 TWh	11.09¢/kWh
2019	131.174 TWh	41.147 TWh	30.672 TWh	41.916 TWh	7.451 TWh	6.186 TWh	0.523 TWh	3.279 TWh	11.42¢/kWh
2020	124.389 TWh	41.401 TWh	20.793 TWh	42.329 TWh	8.299 TWh	7.957 TWh	0.546 TWh	3.063 TWh	11.38¢/kWh
2021	129.956 TWh	47.445 TWh	20.405 TWh	43.118 TWh	10.155 TWh	5.813 TWh	0.515 TWh	2.506 TWh	11.32¢/kWh
2022	134.299 TWh	58.131 TWh	14.674 TWh	42.644 TWh	11.306 TWh	4.686 TWh	0.547 TWh	2.311 TWh	11.62¢/kWh
2023	126.606 TWh	51.788 TWh	14.205 TWh	42.336 TWh	11.512 TWh	4.225 TWh	0.529 TWh	2.011 TWh	12.93¢/kWh
2024	135.027 TWh	55.503 TWh	17.079 TWh	43.349 TWh	11.905 TWh	4.829 TWh	0.530 TWh	1.831 TWh	14.13¢/kWh

Method and limitations

FactVote combines EIA annual utility-scale generation with estimated small-scale solar generation, then groups sources into seven categories. The residential price is EIA's annual average revenue per kilowatthour and includes generation, transmission, distribution, taxes, and fees reflected in electric bills.

Generation is electricity produced inside North Carolina, not electricity consumed there; interstate imports and exports are not represented.
Small-scale solar generation is estimated by EIA. The 'other' category is the residual of remaining reported energy sources.
The residential price is a statewide nominal average and can mask large differences among utilities, plans, and household usage.

Fuel cost

Lower Atlantic regular gasoline prices

$3.716/galmonthly average

Monthly retail prices for regular-grade gasoline in EIA's six-state Lower Atlantic region show the market trend surrounding North Carolina. EIA does not publish a current North Carolina statewide weekly or monthly series.

Regular gasoline · monthly average

Price: $3.716/gal
From prior month: −0.5¢
From one year earlier: +80.0¢

U.S. comparison & state rank2026-07

Regular gasoline

North Carolina: $3.716/gal
U.S. benchmark: $3.932/gal
State rank #1 has the highest gasoline price — worse: #27* of 49

* This value uses EIA's six-state Lower Atlantic regional average, not a statewide measurement.

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.Gasoline ranks cover states with a published FactVote monthly series. An asterisk marks an EIA regional or metro proxy rather than a statewide measurement.U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. regular gasoline prices

View chart data

Month	Regular gasoline price
January 2020	$2.403/gal
February 2020	$2.270/gal
March 2020	$2.058/gal
April 2020	$1.733/gal
May 2020	$1.706/gal
June 2020	$1.899/gal
July 2020	$2.010/gal
August 2020	$2.011/gal
September 2020	$2.043/gal
October 2020	$2.025/gal
November 2020	$1.958/gal
December 2020	$2.060/gal
January 2021	$2.205/gal
February 2021	$2.377/gal
March 2021	$2.672/gal
April 2021	$2.689/gal
May 2021	$2.812/gal
June 2021	$2.876/gal
July 2021	$2.922/gal
August 2021	$2.930/gal
September 2021	$2.967/gal
October 2021	$3.109/gal
November 2021	$3.230/gal
December 2021	$3.129/gal
January 2022	$3.123/gal
February 2022	$3.373/gal
March 2022	$4.056/gal
April 2022	$3.884/gal
May 2022	$4.192/gal
June 2022	$4.609/gal
July 2022	$4.201/gal
August 2022	$3.615/gal
September 2022	$3.335/gal
October 2022	$3.295/gal
November 2022	$3.305/gal
December 2022	$2.960/gal
January 2023	$3.201/gal
February 2023	$3.227/gal
March 2023	$3.221/gal
April 2023	$3.436/gal
May 2023	$3.322/gal
June 2023	$3.290/gal
July 2023	$3.349/gal
August 2023	$3.622/gal
September 2023	$3.502/gal
October 2023	$3.224/gal
November 2023	$2.980/gal
December 2023	$2.974/gal
January 2024	$2.958/gal
February 2024	$3.112/gal
March 2024	$3.283/gal
April 2024	$3.394/gal
May 2024	$3.389/gal
June 2024	$3.265/gal
July 2024	$3.331/gal
August 2024	$3.214/gal
September 2024	$3.019/gal
October 2024	$2.944/gal
November 2024	$2.926/gal
December 2024	$2.900/gal
January 2025	$2.961/gal
February 2025	$2.944/gal
March 2025	$2.894/gal
April 2025	$2.957/gal
May 2025	$2.906/gal
June 2025	$2.919/gal
July 2025	$2.916/gal
August 2025	$2.911/gal
September 2025	$2.907/gal
October 2025	$2.835/gal
November 2025	$2.834/gal
December 2025	$2.741/gal
January 2026	$2.678/gal
February 2026	$2.745/gal
March 2026	$3.450/gal
April 2026	$3.859/gal
May 2026	$4.140/gal
June 2026	$3.721/gal
July 2026	$3.716/gal
August 2026	$3.767/gal

Method and limitations

FactVote uses EIA's monthly Lower Atlantic Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices series. EIA calculates monthly averages as simple averages of the published weekly retail estimates; prices include taxes.

This is EIA's Lower Atlantic region, not a North Carolina statewide average; it combines Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The regional average masks differences among states, communities, and individual stations.
Prices are nominal and not adjusted for inflation or seasonal patterns, and the weekly fact can differ from the monthly average.

Gun policy and public safety

Firearm rights, gun-safety rules, and violence prevention.

Gun policy

1,835

Firearm deaths

2024 final data

Deaths in which firearm injury was recorded as the underlying cause, with the rate age-adjusted per 100,000 residents.

North Carolina16.3 per 100,000

United States13.1 per 100,000

North Carolina's rate was 3.2 deaths per 100,000 higher than the national rate.

View breakdowns and source

North Carolina and U.S. context

Age-adjusted firearm death rate

North Carolina: 16.3 per 100,000
United States: 13.1 per 100,000

North Carolina's rate was 3.2 deaths per 100,000 higher than the national rate.

Both rates use 2024 National Vital Statistics System mortality data and are age-adjusted.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Firearm Mortality

Population-adjusted measure

Age-adjusted firearm death rate: 16.3 per 100,000

How it was measured

CDC National Vital Statistics System death-certificate data.

Keep in mind

The total combines firearm homicides, suicides, accidents, legal-intervention deaths, and deaths of undetermined intent.
It does not measure nonfatal injuries, defensive uses, ownership, or the effect of a specific policy.

Social Security, Medicare, and retirement

Retirement benefits, Medicare, and the long-term financing of these programs.

Immigration and border policy

Border enforcement, legal immigration, and pathways to citizenship.

Related state trends

Immigration over time

Population change is separated into natural change, domestic migration, and international migration.

People

Population growth and migration

11.2Mresidents

July 1 population estimates alongside the annual changes attributable to births minus deaths, domestic migration, and international migration.

Population
Births minus deaths
Domestic migration
International migration

Births minus deaths: +15.1K
Domestic migration: +84.1K
International migration: +46.9K

U.S. comparison & state rank2025

Population

North Carolina: 11,197,968
U.S. total: 341,784,857
State rank #1 is most populous — not a performance ranking: #9 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 national population estimates

View chart data

Year	Population	Natural change	Domestic migration	International migration	Residual
2020	10,450,215	—	—	—	—
2021	10,565,503	1,180	103,627	9,926	555
2022	10,705,768	3,259	98,454	37,814	738
2023	10,871,849	12,317	98,929	53,771	1,064
2024	11,052,061	13,539	83,059	82,899	715
2025	11,197,968	15,129	84,064	46,890	-176

Method and limitations

FactVote uses the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 consistent state series. Population is the July 1 estimate. Change components describe the preceding annual estimates period, and the Census residual adjustment reconciles the components to the published population change.

Vintage estimates are revised as the Census Bureau incorporates newer records and methods.
Domestic and international migration are modeled demographic estimates, not direct counts of every move.
The small residual adjustment is included in the data table but not drawn as a separate bar.

Voting, democracy, and government accountability

Voting access, election administration, ethics, transparency, and corruption.

Democracy and accountability

73.73%

Eligible-voter turnout

November 5, 2024 general election

Ballots cast as a share of voters the North Carolina State Board of Elections lists as eligible for the 2024 general election.

View breakdowns and source

General and latest primary turnout

General: Nov. 5, 2024 · Primary: Mar. 3, 2026

General election turnout: 73.73%
Primary election turnoutMarch 3, 2026 primary election: 19.72%

North Carolina's State Board of Elections labels the denominator 'eligible voters' for each election.

The agency's election-specific eligible-voter denominator differs between the primary and general election.

North Carolina State Board of Elections: Voter Turnout Review by January 31, 2027

Official participation totals

General ballots cast: 5,723,987
General eligible voters: 7,763,502
Primary ballots cast: 1,511,050
Primary eligible voters: 7,664,465

How it was measured

North Carolina State Board of Elections statewide voter-turnout tables for the 2024 general election and the latest completed statewide primary in 2026.

Keep in mind

The agency's eligible-voter denominator is election-specific and differs between the primary and general.
The primary and general offered different contests and choices, so the rates should not be read as a causal comparison.

Abortion and reproductive rights

Access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.

Reproductive rights

27,146

Abortions reported for North Carolina residents

2023 reporting year

Induced abortions reported for North Carolina residents of all ages in the state health-statistics pregnancy tables.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics resident-pregnancy reporting; FactVote uses the statewide all-ages total in Table 3.

Keep in mind

This residence-based count is not a count of all procedures performed in North Carolina.
Administrative reports can omit events not reported to the state system, and the table does not establish why abortions occurred.

Facts are shown for context only and do not affect candidate matching or rankings. Dates, definitions, limitations, and primary sources are included with each figure.

State trends

How North Carolina is changing

Nine trend views cover population, work, housing, public safety, education, health coverage, longevity, gasoline prices, and energy without mixing unlike reporting periods. Each chart now sits directly beneath its related fact section.

North Carolina

FY2026–27 net General Fund appropriation

Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Taxes and the economy

How it was measured

Unemployment rate

Housing and property costs

Other statewide housing measures

How it was measured

Home-price growth

Income growth

Public safety and criminal justice

How it was measured

How it was measured

North Carolina and U.S. context

Violent-crime categories

How it was measured

Violent-crime rate

Property-crime rate

Healthcare

How it was measured

Uninsured rate

Life expectancy

Education

Official student-group rates

How it was measured

Grade 4 reading

Grade 4 math

Grade 8 reading

Grade 8 math

Environment and energy

Utility-scale renewable capacity

How it was measured

North Carolina and U.S. context

Recent weekly prices

How it was measured

Residential electricity price

Regular gasoline

Gun policy and public safety

North Carolina and U.S. context

Population-adjusted measure

How it was measured

Social Security, Medicare, and retirement

Benefit categories

How it was measured

Immigration and border policy

How it was measured

Population

Voting, democracy, and government accountability

General and latest primary turnout

Official participation totals

How it was measured

Abortion and reproductive rights

How it was measured