Jobs, pay and daily life in Goldsboro, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Goldsboro is a city in North Carolina with 34,383 residents. The median household earns $48,540 a year and the median rent is $971 a month, which is 24.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Goldsboro, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 40,320 jobs.
How Goldsboro compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Goldsboro is #31 by population, #97 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #95 for remote work (#1 = most), #88 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Wayne County, is #47 of 100 counties for average pay ($49,087).
Goldsboro has 34,383 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 29 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,203 people per square mile. The median age is 36.8, 6% younger than the state median (36.8 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $971 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% below the state median ($971 against $1,228). Over a year that is 24.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $200,400, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($48,540). 36.3% of households own their home, 46% below the state average (36.3% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Goldsboro, NC metropolitan area has 40,320 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $40,570 a year, 20% below the national median ($40,570 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are sales and related (4,330 jobs, median $31,360); office and administrative support (4,260 jobs, median $41,600); food preparation and serving related (4,250 jobs, median $27,820). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Wayne County was 3.3%. 49.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Wayne County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.0% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 1.4% walk, 4.8% work from home. 9.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 30% below the state average (9.7% against 13.9%).
21.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41% below the state share (21.0% against 35.6%). 4.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 52% below the state share (4.3% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 22.8%, 75% above the state rate (22.8% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 40°F (4.4°C). About 1,245 mm (49 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (144 mm) and Jan the driest (72 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Kinston (22 miles, rent 11% lower); Smithfield (24 miles, rent 32% lower); Wilson (25 miles, similar rent); Clayton (33 miles, rent 71% higher). Rent differences are against Goldsboro; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideWayne CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | 1.44 | $29,960 | $21,820 | $44,260 | -15% |
| Cashiers | 1,270 | 1.59 | $27,170 | $21,530 | $33,240 | -17% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,190 | 1.06 | $38,300 | $26,770 | $38,300 | +7% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,110 | 6.66 | $22,510 | $18,930 | $28,900 | -27% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,000 | 1.36 | $33,850 | $28,540 | $43,860 | -9% |
| Registered Nurses | 950 | 1.08 | $82,740 | $68,950 | $104,720 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 760 | 0.76 | $28,070 | $21,090 | $35,990 | -10% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 740 | 1.10 | $34,500 | $28,090 | $45,740 | -23% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 710 | 0.92 | $34,730 | $29,310 | $44,410 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 640 | 1.09 | $28,530 | $15,970 | $56,270 | -19% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 640 | 1.78 | $49,240 | $44,690 | $59,600 | -23% |
| Nursing Assistants | 600 | 1.60 | $38,540 | $29,920 | $46,580 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 540 | 0.84 | $38,620 | $24,710 | $55,040 | -14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 520 | 0.92 | $33,840 | $25,760 | $37,780 | -8% |
| Construction Laborers | 490 | 1.71 | $39,330 | $35,090 | $58,600 | -17% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 470 | 3.23 | $34,200 | $30,640 | $35,000 | -6% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 440 | 1.76 | $38,690 | $30,350 | $47,460 | -16% |
| General and Operations Managers | 430 | 0.47 | $80,170 | $45,580 | $214,560 | -24% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 420 | 1.14 | $32,420 | $26,800 | $37,580 | -13% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 410 | 1.11 | $29,980 | $24,380 | $37,370 | -18% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 950 | 1.08 | $82,740 | $68,950 | $104,720 | -15% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 640 | 1.78 | $49,240 | $44,690 | $59,600 | -23% |
| Office Clerks, General | 540 | 0.84 | $38,620 | $24,710 | $55,040 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 600 | 1.60 | $38,540 | $29,920 | $46,580 | -9% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,190 | 1.06 | $38,300 | $26,770 | $38,300 | +7% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 710 | 0.92 | $34,730 | $29,310 | $44,410 | -14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 740 | 1.10 | $34,500 | $28,090 | $45,740 | -23% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,000 | 1.36 | $33,850 | $28,540 | $43,860 | -9% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 520 | 0.92 | $33,840 | $25,760 | $37,780 | -8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | 1.44 | $29,960 | $21,820 | $44,260 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 640 | 1.09 | $28,530 | $15,970 | $56,270 | -19% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 760 | 0.76 | $28,070 | $21,090 | $35,990 | -10% |
| Cashiers | 1,270 | 1.59 | $27,170 | $21,530 | $33,240 | -17% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,110 | 6.66 | $22,510 | $18,930 | $28,900 | -27% |
These figures are for the whole Goldsboro, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $40,570 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.3% |
| Manufacturing | 12.4% |
| Retail trade | 12.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.7% |
| Public administration | 5.3% |
| Other services | 5.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Construction | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.1% |
| Information | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Goldsboro lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 118,652 | $6,769 million | $57,053 | 41,880 | 2,557 | $49,087 | +1.7% | 3.3% | 48,433 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 6,269 | 19.0% | $33,072 | 1.50 |
| Manufacturing | 5,722 | 17.3% | $59,512 | 1.66 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,499 | 16.6% | $51,369 | 0.92 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,335 | 13.1% | $19,539 | 1.14 |
| Construction | 2,234 | 6.8% | $69,631 | 1.02 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,320 | 4.0% | $37,520 | 0.54 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,306 | 4.0% | $66,918 | 0.74 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,184 | 3.6% | $62,881 | 0.72 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,002 | 3.0% | $67,268 | 0.59 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 982 | 3.0% | $34,993 | 0.78 |
| Professional and technical services | 939 | 2.8% | $72,096 | 0.32 |
| Educational services | 688 | 2.1% | $42,210 | 0.79 |
| Real estate and rental | 541 | 1.6% | $50,898 | 0.83 |
| Management of companies | 443 | 1.3% | $76,931 | 0.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 264 | 0.8% | $18,684 | 0.38 |
| Utilities | 216 | 0.7% | $115,625 | 1.36 |
| Information | 86 | 0.3% | $48,235 | 0.11 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.0% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 4.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,540 |
| Income per person | $30,497 |
| Median gross rent per month | $971 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.0% |
| Median home value | $200,400 |
| Homeowners | 36.3% |
| Poverty rate | 22.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $40,570 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.0% |
| Born abroad | 4.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 49.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.4 | 40 | 72 |
| Feb | 6.2 | 43 | 80 |
| Mar | 10.2 | 50 | 95 |
| Apr | 15.7 | 60 | 88 |
| May | 20.6 | 69 | 104 |
| Jun | 25.1 | 77 | 121 |
| Jul | 27.0 | 81 | 137 |
| Aug | 26.1 | 79 | 144 |
| Sep | 22.8 | 73 | 138 |
| Oct | 16.9 | 62 | 83 |
| Nov | 10.7 | 51 | 88 |
| Dec | 6.7 | 44 | 95 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinston | NC | 22 mi | 19,505 | $36,878 | $867 |
| Smithfield | NC | 24 mi | 12,116 | $43,270 | $658 |
| Wilson | NC | 25 mi | 48,370 | $52,485 | $971 |
| Clayton | NC | 33 mi | 29,320 | $78,822 | $1,661 |
| Winterville | NC | 34 mi | 10,725 | $83,193 | $1,534 |
| Wendell | NC | 36 mi | 13,064 | $95,787 | $1,457 |
| Greenville | NC | 37 mi | 92,857 | $49,748 | $1,007 |
| Knightdale | NC | 41 mi | 20,214 | $103,220 | $1,674 |
| Rocky Mount | NC | 42 mi | 54,297 | $55,534 | $957 |
| Garner | NC | 42 mi | 34,473 | $78,756 | $1,549 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
34,383 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$971 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.0% of the median household income.
$48,540 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.3% (BLS county, Wayne County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.