Rowan County, NC jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meRowan County economy
3.1%
unemployment, Sep 2026
4.3% the month before
70,271
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
148,487
people in Rowan County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$63,196
median household income
Source: Census ACS
33%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Rowan County ranks
Where Rowan County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #2Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Southeast−1.2 points · of 100
Rowan County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 2.0% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 5.6% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 3.1%, down 1.2 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+783 jobs), hotels & food (+304 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: transportation & warehousing (−384 jobs)
Learn and get funded in Rowan County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Rowan County layoffs
1
Layoff notices, last 12 months
93
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
1
employer
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrette Outdoor LivingTakes effect Oct 12, 2026 | Rowan County | 93 | Layoff | State record |
Employers hiring most in Rowan County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Veterans Health Administration7 open roles
- Genuine Parts Company5 open roles
- ADUSA2 open roles
- American Eagle Outfitters2 open roles
- Emcor2 open roles
- Rowan-Salisbury School System2 open roles
- Zachry2 open roles
- Adusa1 open role
- Aldi US1 open role
- Army National Guard Units1 open role
Colleges in Rowan County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba College | Salisbury | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Hood Theological Seminary | Salisbury | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Rowan County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in North Carolina? How to file for unemployment in North Carolina (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- Centralina Workforce Development Board
Anson, Cabarrus, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly, Union
NCWorks Career Center- Rowan County
Salisbury · Comprehensive · 704-639-7529
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm; Closes the 3rd Friday of each month at 12 noon.
Cities in Rowan County
Other North Carolina counties
Laid off or looking for work in Rowan County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from North Carolina’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. North Carolina unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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