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 North Carolina
Data followed by an * indicates a Significant Difference at the 90 percent level between that data and the data from the most current year.  Data followed by a "c" indicates the estimate for that year and the current year are both controlled; a statistical test is not appropriate.
TABLE 3. SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
  2003
Estimate		 2002
Estimate		 2001
Estimate		 2000
Estimate
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Population 16 years and over
6,289,909
6,225,993 *
6,080,963 *
6,046,599 *
In labor force
66.47%
66.48%
65.93%
67.08%
Civilian labor force
65.80%
65.61%
64.90%
66.01%
Employed
60.20%
60.05%
60.61%
62.72% *
Unemployed
352,265
346,373
261,130 *
198,593 *
Percent unemployed
8.5
8.5
6.6 *
5.0 *
Armed Forces
0.67%
0.87%
1.03%
1.07%
Not in labor force
33.53%
33.52%
34.07%
32.92%
 
Females 16 years and over
3,260,393
3,223,922 *
3,156,801 *
3,142,181 *
In labor force
59.99%
59.92%
59.18%
60.32%
Civilian labor force
59.86%
59.79%
58.99%
60.08%
Employed
54.22%
54.53%
54.93%
56.70% *
 
Own children under 6 years
668,295
663,550
665,144
596,406 *
All parents in family in labor force
61.29%
61.94%
62.20%
66.21% *
 
Own children 6 to 17 years
1,245,975
1,243,422
1,247,935
1,201,641 *
All parents in family in labor force
71.23%
71.49%
71.90%
71.21%
 
Population 16 to 19 years
389,691
396,766
378,840
375,004
Not enrolled in school and not a H.S. graduate
11.18%
9.86%
13.97%
15.85% *
Unemployed or not in the labor force
6.20%
5.54%
7.98%
6.81%
 
COMMUTING TO WORK
Workers 16 years and over
3,709,516
3,665,742
3,642,225 *
3,741,414
Car, truck, or van -- drove alone
81.97%
81.85%
81.89%
80.87%
Car, truck, or van -- carpooled
11.66%
12.08%
11.76%
12.72%
Public transportation (including taxicab)
0.99%
0.66% *
0.89%
0.72% *
Walked
1.43%
1.57%
1.48%
1.68%
Other means
0.87%
0.85%
1.03%
1.10%
Worked at home
3.08%
2.99%
2.95%
2.92%
Mean travel time to work (minutes)
23.2
23.0
22.9
22.6
 
Employed civilian population 16 years and over
3,786,546
3,738,703
3,685,597 *
3,792,694
OCCUPATION
Management, professional, and related occupations
32.10%
31.47%
32.02%
30.79%
Service occupations
15.51%
14.26% *
13.22% *
14.08% *
Sales and office occupations
24.34%
25.68% *
25.11%
24.33%
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
0.86%
0.85%
0.84%
1.08%
Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations
10.61%
11.18%
10.96%
10.86%
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations
16.58%
16.55%
17.85%
18.87% *
 
INDUSTRY
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining
1.53%
1.74%
1.76%
1.96%
Construction
8.62%
8.61%
8.44%
8.00%
Manufacturing
16.14%
16.67%
18.64% *
19.74% *
Wholesale trade
3.67%
3.52%
3.38%
3.56%
Retail trade
11.53%
11.68%
12.46% *
11.76%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities
4.52%
4.68%
4.78%
4.71%
Information
1.87%
2.14%
2.23% *
2.08%
Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing
6.32%
6.71%
6.12%
6.21%
Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services
7.99%
7.58%
7.66%
7.22% *
Educational, health, and social services
20.51%
20.31%
19.12%
19.17%
Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services
7.80%
7.20%
6.49% *
6.50% *
Other services (except public administration)
4.90%
4.62%
4.59%
4.89%
Public administration
4.60%
4.54%
4.34%
4.20%
 
CLASS OF WORKER
Private wage and salary workers
76.83%
77.59%
77.91%
77.66%
Government workers
15.84%
15.55%
14.76%
14.64%
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
7.07%
6.70%
7.06%
7.34%
Unpaid family workers
0.27%
0.16% *
0.27%
0.37%
 
INCOME AND BENEFITS (IN 2003 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Total households
3,270,705
3,207,447
3,191,757 *
3,083,979 *
Less than $10,000
11.05%
10.86%
10.33%
9.61% *
$10,000 to $14,999
6.86%
6.92%
6.99%
6.75%
$15,000 to $24,999
13.74%
14.25%
12.66% *
14.08%
$25,000 to $34,999
14.13%
13.11% *
13.70%
13.97%
$35,000 to $49,999
16.97%
16.42%
16.68%
17.16%
$50,000 to $74,999
17.90%
18.58%
19.63% *
18.16%
$75,000 to $99,999
9.47%
9.38%
9.54%
9.16%
$100,000 to $149,999
6.64%
6.86%
7.27%
7.14%
$150,000 to $199,999
1.64%
1.95%
1.77%
1.94%
$200,000 or more
1.62%
1.67%
1.42%
2.02% *
Median household income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
38,234
38,972
40,296 *
40,302 *
Mean household income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
50,563
51,447
51,764
53,135 *
 
With earnings
80.15%
80.16%
80.47%
81.28%
Mean earnings (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
51,362
52,016
52,554
53,273
With Social Security
27.36%
27.22%
26.48% *
26.76%
Mean Social Security income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
11,966
11,967
11,965
11,826
With retirement income
17.56%
16.44%
16.26%
15.31% *
Mean retirement income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
15,241
15,797
15,132
15,794
 
With Supplemental Security Income
3.80%
3.59%
3.82%
3.78%
Mean Supplemental Security Income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
6,005
5,927
6,030
6,179
With cash public assistance income
1.79%
1.77%
1.52% *
1.72%
Mean cash public assistance income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
2,566
1,874 *
2,570
1,967
With Food Stamp benefits in the past 12 months
7.05%
7.06%
6.46%
7.17%
 
Families
2,235,002
2,191,392
2,207,613
2,122,277 *
Less than $10,000
6.70%
6.65%
5.56% *
5.12% *
$10,000 to $14,999
4.66%
4.52%
5.01%
4.39%
$15,000 to $24,999
12.05%
12.59%
11.13%
12.37%
$25,000 to $34,999
13.58%
12.53% *
12.84%
12.67%
$35,000 to $49,999
17.86%
16.86% *
17.38%
18.50%
$50,000 to $74,999
20.63%
21.26%
22.67% *
21.41%
$75,000 to $99,999
11.71%
11.87%
12.08%
11.18%
$100,000 to $149,999
8.48%
8.92%
9.14%
9.31%
$150,000 to $199,999
2.22%
2.57%
2.35%
2.47%
$200,000 or more
2.11%
2.23%
1.85%
2.59% *
Median family income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
45,540
46,926
48,003 *
47,555
Mean family income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
58,512
59,790
59,854
61,557 *
 
Per capita income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
20,646
21,098
20,874
21,746 *
 
Nonfamily households
1,035,703
1,016,055
984,144
961,702 *
Median nonfamily income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
23,713
23,613
24,501
23,858
Mean nonfamily income (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars)
31,521
31,606
32,029
32,628
 
Median earnings (in 2003 inflation-adjusted dollars):
24,080
23,821
24,488
23,943
Male full-time, year-round workers
35,388
35,528
35,660
34,337
Female full-time, year-round workers
27,336
26,826
26,693
26,503 *
 
NUMBER BELOW POVERTY IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
Families
238,990
240,682
231,288
203,428 *
With related children under 18 years
78.86%
83.53% *
78.43%
79.28%
With related children under 5 years only
21.95%
21.23%
14.91% *
16.01% *
 
Families with female householder, no husband present
140,033
149,495
128,488
116,550 *
With related children under 18 years
89.07%
92.33%
92.15%
93.33%
With related children under 5 years only
23.70%
23.76%
17.91%
19.42%
 
Individuals
1,136,243
1,143,158
1,110,217
1,017,654 *
18 years and over
66.37%
63.24%
64.05% *
65.19%
65 years and over
10.78%
10.17%
11.14%
12.50% *
Related children under 18 years
32.56%
35.81% *
35.32% *
33.88%
Related children 5 to 17 years
21.12%
24.59% *
24.18% *
24.00% *
Unrelated individuals 15 years and over
33.13%
29.09% *
29.82% *
32.58%
 
PERCENT BELOW POVERTY IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
Individuals
14.0
14.2
14.1
13.1
18 years and over
12.4
12.0
12.1
11.4 *
65 years and over
12.9
12.4
13.3
14.0
Related children under 18 years
18.3
20.3
19.5
18.1
Related children under 5 years
22.5
22.4
21.6
19.0 *
Related children 5 to 17 years
16.6
19.5 *
18.6
17.8
Unrelated individuals 15 years and over
26.9
24.7 *
25.7
25.3
 
Profile Navigation
  
Viewing 2003 Multiyear Profile for North Carolina
  Demographic - Table 1
  Social - Table 2
  Economic - Table 3
  Housing - Table 4

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See footnotes below.

Footnotes

The profile universe is limited to the household population and excludes the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability.

The number of householders does not necessarily equal the number of households because of differences in the weighting schemes for the population and occupied housing units.

Employment and unemployment estimates may vary from the official labor force data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics because of differences in survey design and data collection.

Occupation codes are 4-digit codes, but are still based on Standard Occupational Classification 2000.

Industry codes are 4-digit codes and are based on the North American Industry Classification System 2002. However, the Industry categories adhere to the guidelines issued in Clarification Memorandum No. 2, "NAICS Alternate Aggregation Structure for Use By U.S. Statistical Agencies," issued by the Office of Management and Budget.

1. An '-' entry in an Estimate column indicates that no sample observations were available to compute an estimate.
2. An '-' following a median estimate means the median falls in the lowest interval of an open-ended distribution.
3. An '+' following a median estimate means the median falls in the upper interval of an open-ended distribution.
4. An 'N' entry in an Estimate column indicates that data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small.

[Excel] or the letters [xls] indicate a document is in the Microsoft® Excel® Spreadsheet Format (XLS). To view the file, you will need the Microsoft® Excel® Viewer This link to a non-federal Web site does not imply endorsement of any particular product, company, or content. available for free from Microsoft®.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau  |  American Community Survey Office  |  Page Last Modified: August 29, 2007