Federal workers in North Carolina provide essential public services, including mail delivery, national park management, veterans’ healthcare, and Social Security administration. As of late 2024, approximately 82,600 federal employees were working in the state, representing 2% of North Carolina’s total employment.
In areas with a military presence, federal employment is notably higher. Counties such as Cumberland (home to Fort Bragg), Onslow (Camp Lejeune), and Craven (Air Station Cherry Point) see federal jobs comprising 12-15% of total employment. It is important to note that these figures exclude active-duty military personnel.
Other significant concentrations of federal employees are found in counties hosting large federal facilities. Granville County serves as an example where the Butner Federal Correctional Complex contributes to federal employment making up 6% of the county’s total employment.
In contrast, federal employment remains limited in most other regions. Outside counties with military bases or major federal facilities, the percentage of federal jobs is smaller. Even in urban centers like Wake and Mecklenburg counties, federal employment constitutes only about 1% of total employment. In many rural areas, the number of federal employees is minimal and largely consists of postal service workers.
