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Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Southeast

Arlington County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Southeast: 74% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 38% in the typical large county.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

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Key facts

  • #1 Arlington County, VA: 74%
  • #2 Loudoun County, VA: 63%
  • #3 Alexandria city, VA: 62%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 38% across the typical large county.

  1. 1Arlington County VA74%
  2. 2Loudoun County VA63%
  3. 3Alexandria city VA62%
  4. 4Fairfax County VA62%
  5. 5Charlottesville city VA62%
  6. 6Orange County NC61%
  7. 7Albemarle County VA58%
  8. 8Williamson County TN58%
  9. 9Fulton County GA57%
  10. 10Wake County NC57%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Arlington County leads on 74%, and #10 Wake County is at 57%.
  • Charlottesville city reaches #5 on a sample of 24,867 people in the labor force, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Wake County is the largest market in the top ten, with 698,382 people in the labor force behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

The share of working people in management, business, financial and professional occupations shows where the economy is built around professional work.

How to use it

If your work is professional, counties near the top have more peers, more employers who hire for it, and more local networks.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Arlington County VA

    74%

    Median household income
    $140,160
    People in the labor force
    149,311
    Unemployment
    2.9%

    Based on 149,311 people in the labor force.

    Arlington County job market

  2. 2

    Loudoun County VA

    63%

    Median household income
    $178,707
    People in the labor force
    244,202
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 244,202 people in the labor force.

    Loudoun County job market

  3. 3

    Alexandria city VA

    62%

    Median household income
    $113,638
    People in the labor force
    97,772
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 97,772 people in the labor force.

    Alexandria city job market

  4. 4

    Fairfax County VA

    62%

    Median household income
    $150,113
    People in the labor force
    624,457
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 624,457 people in the labor force.

    Fairfax County job market

  5. 5

    Charlottesville city VA

    62%

    Median household income
    $69,829
    People in the labor force
    24,867
    Unemployment
    3.0%

    Based on 24,867 people in the labor force.

    Charlottesville city job market

  6. 6

    Orange County NC

    61%

    Median household income
    $88,553
    People in the labor force
    78,148
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 78,148 people in the labor force.

    Orange County job market

  7. 7

    Albemarle County VA

    58%

    Median household income
    $102,617
    People in the labor force
    61,963
    Unemployment
    3.3%

    Based on 61,963 people in the labor force.

    Albemarle County job market

  8. 8

    Williamson County TN

    58%

    Median household income
    $131,202
    People in the labor force
    144,926
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 144,926 people in the labor force.

    Williamson County job market

  9. 9

    Fulton County GA

    57%

    Median household income
    $91,490
    People in the labor force
    610,302
    Unemployment
    3.6%

    Based on 610,302 people in the labor force.

    Fulton County job market

  10. 10

    Wake County NC

    57%

    Median household income
    $101,763
    People in the labor force
    698,382
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 698,382 people in the labor force.

    Wake County job market

  11. 11

    Durham County NC

    57%

    Median household income
    $79,501
    People in the labor force
    186,784
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 186,784 people in the labor force.

    Durham County job market

  12. 12

    Forsyth County GA

    57%

    Median household income
    $138,000
    People in the labor force
    151,568
    Unemployment
    3.0%

    Based on 151,568 people in the labor force.

    Forsyth County job market

  13. 13

    York County VA

    56%

    Median household income
    $108,326
    People in the labor force
    33,289
    Unemployment
    3.5%

    Based on 33,289 people in the labor force.

    York County job market

  14. 14

    Oconee County GA

    53%

    Median household income
    $115,925
    People in the labor force
    23,137
    Unemployment
    2.9%

    Based on 23,137 people in the labor force.

    Oconee County job market

  15. 15

    Montgomery County VA

    51%

    Median household income
    $70,769
    People in the labor force
    48,358
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 48,358 people in the labor force.

    Montgomery County job market

  16. 16

    Madison County AL

    51%

    Median household income
    $83,528
    People in the labor force
    227,978
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 227,978 people in the labor force.

    Madison County job market

  17. 17

    St. Johns County FL

    51%

    Median household income
    $106,169
    People in the labor force
    157,720
    Unemployment
    4.4%

    Based on 157,720 people in the labor force.

    St. Johns County job market

  18. 18

    Fayette County GA

    50%

    Median household income
    $108,986
    People in the labor force
    60,507
    Unemployment
    3.5%

    Based on 60,507 people in the labor force.

    Fayette County job market

  19. 19

    Stafford County VA

    50%

    Median household income
    $133,792
    People in the labor force
    82,889
    Unemployment
    3.6%

    Based on 82,889 people in the labor force.

    Stafford County job market

  20. 20

    Chatham County NC

    50%

    Median household income
    $88,534
    People in the labor force
    40,021
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 40,021 people in the labor force.

    Chatham County job market

  21. 21

    Oldham County KY

    50%

    Median household income
    $121,491
    People in the labor force
    34,619
    Unemployment
    4.0%

    Based on 34,619 people in the labor force.

    Oldham County job market

  22. 22

    Alachua County FL

    50%

    Median household income
    $59,659
    People in the labor force
    143,983
    Unemployment
    4.9%

    Based on 143,983 people in the labor force.

    Alachua County job market

  23. 23

    Cobb County GA

    49%

    Median household income
    $98,712
    People in the labor force
    434,085
    Unemployment
    3.3%

    Based on 434,085 people in the labor force.

    Cobb County job market

  24. 24

    Leon County FL

    49%

    Median household income
    $65,074
    People in the labor force
    166,865
    Unemployment
    4.5%

    Based on 166,865 people in the labor force.

    Leon County job market

  25. 25

    Davidson County TN

    49%

    Median household income
    $75,664
    People in the labor force
    431,539
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 431,539 people in the labor force.

    Davidson County job market

Full ranking

All 100 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Arlington County VA74%149,311
2Loudoun County VA63%244,202
3Alexandria city VA62%97,772
4Fairfax County VA62%624,457
5Charlottesville city VA62%24,867
6Orange County NC61%78,148
7Albemarle County VA58%61,963
8Williamson County TN58%144,926
9Fulton County GA57%610,302
10Wake County NC57%698,382
11Durham County NC57%186,784
12Forsyth County GA57%151,568
13York County VA56%33,289
14Oconee County GA53%23,137
15Montgomery County VA51%48,358
16Madison County AL51%227,978
17St. Johns County FL51%157,720
18Fayette County GA50%60,507
19Stafford County VA50%82,889
20Chatham County NC50%40,021
21Oldham County KY50%34,619
22Alachua County FL50%143,983
23Cobb County GA49%434,085
24Leon County FL49%166,865
25Davidson County TN49%431,539
26Hanover County VA49%60,757
27Charleston County SC49%245,088
28Shelby County AL48%123,452
29James City County VA48%37,308
30Mecklenburg County NC48%662,350
31Prince William County VA48%258,641
32DeKalb County GA48%410,253
33Chesterfield County VA48%201,198
34Campbell County KY48%49,581
35Richmond city VA47%128,031
36Henrico County VA47%181,313
37Fayette County KY47%182,089
38Madison County MS47%57,654
39Fauquier County VA47%40,719
40Union County NC46%133,173
41Virginia Beach city VA46%229,827
42Roanoke County VA46%49,382
43Clarke County GA46%69,223
44Seminole County FL46%271,696
45New Hanover County NC46%127,187
46Lee County AL46%92,160
47Columbia County GA46%77,429
48Chesapeake city VA45%124,004
49Cherokee County GA45%158,604
50Spotsylvania County VA44%76,355
51Pinellas County FL44%494,767
52Richland County SC44%219,084
53Knox County TN44%262,224
54Bedford County VA44%38,096
55Brevard County FL44%305,959
56Kenton County KY44%93,823
57York County SC43%160,966
58Greenville County SC43%306,446
59Cabarrus County NC43%124,308
60Lafayette County MS43%30,536
61Buncombe County NC43%137,407
62Franklin County KY43%27,807
63Rankin County MS43%80,125
64Jefferson County AL43%319,109
65Hamilton County TN43%200,733
66Wilson County TN43%91,195
67Pitt County NC43%85,216
68Suffolk city VA43%49,962
69Washington County TN43%67,797
70Isle of Wight County VA43%20,575
71Hillsborough County FL42%816,508
72Moore County NC42%46,371
73Lamar County MS42%30,067
74Coweta County GA42%82,033
75Forsyth County NC42%183,230
76Gwinnett County GA42%532,043
77Okaloosa County FL41%100,773
78Lexington County SC41%163,120
79Lancaster County SC41%52,538
80Pasco County FL41%303,387
81Frederick County VA41%49,573
82Manassas city VA41%23,313
83Sumner County TN41%115,407
84Orange County FL41%824,774
85Jefferson County KY41%401,632
86Limestone County AL41%59,309
87Palm Beach County FL41%775,577
88Dare County NC41%20,119
89Oktibbeha County MS40%22,756
90Sarasota County FL40%201,260
91Clay County FL40%113,386
92Granville County NC40%28,994
93Watauga County NC40%28,833
94Lynchburg city VA40%36,977
95Carteret County NC40%32,175
96Houston County GA40%78,051
97Lincoln County NC40%47,601
98Jackson County GA40%45,248
99Boone County KY40%75,658
100Jessamine County KY40%28,229

How this ranking works

A county's score is the share of its employed residents in management, business, financial and professional occupations, from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force are ranked. The figure describes where residents work by occupation, not where their employers are.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked.

Sources: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (occupation by county). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the southeast?
Arlington County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Southeast: 74% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 38% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
100 counties have at least 20,000 people in the labor force, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the share of its employed residents in management, business, financial and professional occupations, from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force are ranked. The figure describes where residents work by occupation, not where their employers are.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-southeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-southeast">Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Southeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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