Wake County, North Carolina Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Wake County, North Carolina
Employment Indicators for Wake County, North Carolina (2024)
Total Employed
628,413
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
74.5 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
4.5%
Entrepreneurship
Government
12.8%
Public Sector
Wake County, North Carolina Workforce by Sector & Gender

Wake County, North Carolina Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 468,359 | 74.5% |
| Government | 80,523 | 12.8% |
| Self-Employed | 28,529 | 4.5% |
| Private Non-Profit | 50,400 | 8.0% |
Wake County, North Carolina Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.28:1 |
| Government | 0.69:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.08:1 |
Wake County, North Carolina Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Wake County, North Carolina Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 74.5% | 12.8% | 4.5% | 8.0% |
| 2023 | 74.6% | 12.8% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| 2022 | 74.7% | 12.9% | 4.5% | 7.7% |
| 2021 | 74.6% | 13.4% | 4.5% | 7.4% |
| 2020 | 74.6% | 13.4% | 4.4% | 7.4% |
| 2019 | 74.1% | 14.0% | 4.8% | 7.0% |
| 2018 | 73.9% | 14.2% | 4.7% | 7.0% |
| 2017 | 73.6% | 14.5% | 4.8% | 6.9% |
| 2016 | 73.3% | 14.6% | 4.8% | 7.2% |
| 2015 | 73.1% | 15.1% | 4.8% | 7.0% |
| 2014 | 73.0% | 15.3% | 4.6% | 7.1% |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 15.4% | 4.6% | 7.1% |
| 2012 | 73.3% | 15.3% | 4.5% | 6.8% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 15.6% | 4.7% | 6.7% |
| 2010 | 73.1% | 15.4% | 4.9% | 6.6% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Wake County, North Carolina
The largest employment sector in Wake County, North Carolina is Private For-Profit, which employs 74.5% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 628,413 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Wake County, North Carolina.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.28:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Wake County, North Carolina has shown an increase, moving from 439,524 to 628,413 according to Census Bureau records.