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In any workplace, encountering someone who seems to skate by on the efforts of others can be frustrating. If you find yourself in one of these North Carolina towns, you might just be reflecting on a culture that prioritizes minimal effort over productivity.
This isn’t meant to be harsh; rather, it’s an observation about how a town’s ethos can influence workplace dynamics. No one wants to collaborate with individuals who contribute little.
To uncover which North Carolina towns are perceived as the least industrious, we analyzed data from the latest American Community Survey. Our criteria focused on metrics often associated with low productivity, revealing where residents might be more inclined to spend their time online rather than in the office.
After thorough analysis, we present the ten “Least Productive Places in North Carolina” based on our findings:
Continue reading to discover where the less industrious residents call home or scroll to the end to see how your town ranks.
Interestingly, Weddington has been recognized as the most industrious town in NC!
How We Determined the Least Productive Places in North Carolina
At Zippia, we utilize data to tackle challenging questions about workplace trends. Our analysis began with the latest American Community Survey data to shed light on productivity levels across the state.
We considered various criteria, ultimately selecting the following indicators to define the least productive places in North Carolina:
- Lowest average hours worked
- Shortest commute times
- Fewest workers per household (calculated as labor force divided by the number of households)
- Highest unemployment rates
- Lowest percentage of adults with a college degree
Our reasoning was straightforward: a community with less educational attainment, lower work hours, and fewer contributing members is likely to be less productive overall.
After compiling data from 132 towns in North Carolina with populations over 5,000, we ranked each place based on the selected criteria, with 1 being the “least productive.”
Finally, we calculated a productivity index, with the lowest score being crowned the “Least Productive Place in North Carolina,” which turned out to be Forest City.
Check out the detailed chart below to understand the rankings better.
1. Forest City
Population: 7,387 College Educated: 13.6%
Unemployment Rate: 18.9%
2. Williamston
Population: 5,410 College Educated: 12.4%
Unemployment Rate: 17.3%
3. Henderson
Population: 15,325 College Educated: 14.2%
Unemployment Rate: 17.8%
4. Whiteville
Population: 5,465 College Educated: 18.9%
Unemployment Rate: 18.2%
5. Hamlet
Population: 6,566 College Educated: 12.1%
Unemployment Rate: 21.2%
6. Kinston
Population: 21,589 College Educated: 14.9%
Unemployment Rate: 17.8%
7. Roxboro
Population: 8,330 College Educated: 9.9%
Unemployment Rate: 21.6%
8. Washington
Population: 9,768 College Educated: 21.5%
Unemployment Rate: 18.7%
9. Marion
Population: 7,948 College Educated: 14.5%
Unemployment Rate: 17.5%
10. Ahoskie
Population: 5,017 College Educated: 17.3%
Unemployment Rate: 16.0%
Understanding Productivity Trends
Identifying the least productive places in North Carolina involves looking at various factors. By analyzing communities with lower work engagement, limited educational opportunities, and less willingness to invest time in work, we’ve crafted a relevant list reflecting productivity levels across the state.
Detailed List of the Least Productive Places in North Carolina
| City | Rank |
|---|---|
| Forest City | 1 |
| Williamston | 2 |
| Henderson | 3 |
| Whiteville | 4 |
| Hamlet | 5 |
| Kinston | 6 |
| Roxboro | 7 |
| Washington | 8 |
| Marion | 9 |
| Ahoskie | 10 |
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
