Jobs, pay and daily life in Salisbury, 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.
Salisbury is a city in North Carolina with 35,825 residents. The median household earns $53,716 a year and the median rent is $1,071 a month, which is 23.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,358,370 jobs.
How Salisbury compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Salisbury is #29 by population, #74 for remote work (#1 = most), #73 for household income (#1 = highest), #70 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Rowan County, is #14 of 100 counties for average pay ($57,503).
Salisbury has 35,825 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 23 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,551 people per square mile. The median age is 36.5, 7% younger than the state median (36.5 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,071 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($1,071 against $1,228). Over a year that is 23.9% 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 $242,500, which is 4.5 times the median household income ($53,716). 51.8% of households own their home, 22% below the state average (51.8% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan area has 1,358,370 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,990 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,990 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (146,340 jobs, median $47,210); transportation and material moving (142,580 jobs, median $40,550); sales and related (139,760 jobs, median $40,880). The area is most specialised in computer and mathematical (1.4 times) and business and financial operations (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($133,220) and computer and mathematical ($120,930). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Rowan County was 3.1%. 55.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Rowan County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.2% drive alone, 1.9% use public transit, 1.8% walk, 8.7% work from home. 13.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 6% below the state average (13.1% against 13.9%).
29.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16% below the state share (29.9% against 35.6%). 6.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 30% below the state share (6.4% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 26.3%, 102% above the state rate (26.3% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.6°C). About 1,174 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (116 mm) and Feb the driest (78 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: Lexington (15 miles, rent 17% lower); Kannapolis (15 miles, rent 23% higher); Mooresville (20 miles, rent 52% higher); Concord (21 miles, rent 35% higher). Rent differences are against Salisbury; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (496) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideRowan 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 496 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 40,540 | 1.57 | $38,850 | $32,770 | $49,020 | -3% |
| Retail Salespersons | 35,150 | 1.03 | $33,580 | $24,080 | $46,730 | -5% |
| Cashiers | 27,350 | 1.01 | $29,610 | $23,600 | $36,040 | -10% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 27,050 | 0.80 | $28,880 | $22,850 | $37,010 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 27,010 | 0.91 | $90,620 | $69,680 | $110,020 | -7% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 26,120 | 1.15 | $44,980 | $31,500 | $62,640 | +0% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 23,250 | 0.94 | $37,440 | $30,090 | $47,490 | +0% |
| Software Developers | 20,820 | 1.41 | $135,920 | $93,690 | $172,360 | -0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,990 | 1.01 | $36,430 | $18,100 | $74,440 | +3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 18,700 | 1.04 | $56,120 | $44,240 | $77,490 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 18,380 | 0.60 | $112,730 | $55,750 | $274,620 | +7% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 16,820 | 1.33 | $92,910 | $59,200 | $167,330 | +11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 16,390 | 0.76 | $44,010 | $28,410 | $62,990 | -2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 15,910 | 1.47 | $72,500 | $40,000 | $149,460 | +1% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 15,830 | 2.83 | $27,690 | $22,430 | $35,720 | -10% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 14,430 | 1.17 | $37,030 | $29,210 | $45,980 | -1% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 13,980 | 1.27 | $61,850 | $37,590 | $143,990 | -12% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 13,760 | 0.71 | $35,600 | $27,630 | $43,680 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 13,580 | 1.07 | $39,430 | $33,730 | $49,050 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,520 | 0.36 | $33,680 | $26,920 | $41,560 | -6% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 740 | 0.41 | $329,030 | $114,100 | $599,990 | +54% |
| Physicians, All Other | 2,400 | 0.80 | $327,040 | $74,580 | $452,850 | +23% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 910 | 2.00 | $277,550 | $222,510 | $334,180 | +17% |
| Dentists, General | 1,140 | 1.05 | $189,220 | $103,490 | $312,000 | +11% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 8,120 | 1.39 | $176,840 | $119,750 | $305,560 | +1% |
| Financial Managers | 9,290 | 1.26 | $172,760 | $111,000 | $329,110 | +4% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,830 | 0.95 | $169,960 | $125,020 | $256,460 | -1% |
| Marketing Managers | 3,830 | 1.11 | $166,200 | $94,240 | $268,360 | -0% |
| Sales Managers | 5,930 | 1.06 | $162,000 | $76,540 | $311,420 | +9% |
| Human Resources Managers | 2,310 | 1.20 | $158,930 | $99,310 | $292,290 | +6% |
| Lawyers | 5,380 | 0.82 | $157,180 | $61,830 | $371,170 | -2% |
| Managers, All Other | 6,640 | 1.22 | $156,020 | $84,080 | $272,240 | +10% |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 2,090 | 2.31 | $151,540 | $97,700 | $206,700 | -35% |
| Pharmacists | 2,530 | 0.90 | $150,580 | $91,770 | $173,930 | +7% |
| Purchasing Managers | 870 | 1.18 | $144,270 | $98,160 | $228,510 | -3% |
| Database Architects | 1,560 | 2.66 | $138,870 | $88,510 | $180,650 | -0% |
| Software Developers | 20,820 | 1.41 | $135,920 | $93,690 | $172,360 | -0% |
| Computer Network Architects | 2,350 | 1.50 | $134,410 | $95,280 | $173,800 | +0% |
| Financial Risk Specialists | 1,880 | 3.37 | $133,530 | $82,840 | $214,540 | +14% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,680 | 1.19 | $133,140 | $99,610 | $169,220 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,990 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.7% |
| Manufacturing | 12.4% |
| Retail trade | 11.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.2% |
| Construction | 6.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.2% |
| Other services | 3.0% |
| Public administration | 2.6% |
| Information | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Salisbury 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan County | 149,875 | $7,886 million | $52,618 | 50,595 | 3,334 | $57,503 | -0.3% | 3.1% | 70,271 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 6,867 | 16.3% | $70,236 | 1.65 |
| Retail trade | 6,331 | 15.1% | $44,349 | 1.25 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,576 | 13.3% | $51,571 | 0.77 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,474 | 10.6% | $22,333 | 0.97 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,778 | 9.0% | $67,538 | 1.76 |
| Construction | 3,142 | 7.5% | $66,506 | 1.18 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,520 | 6.0% | $49,811 | 0.85 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,513 | 6.0% | $67,818 | 1.26 |
| Management of companies | 1,324 | 3.2% | $96,486 | 1.55 |
| Educational services | 1,093 | 2.6% | $47,188 | 1.04 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,061 | 2.5% | $78,694 | 0.30 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 966 | 2.3% | $43,083 | 0.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 782 | 1.9% | $24,791 | 0.92 |
| Finance and insurance | 547 | 1.3% | $70,923 | 0.27 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 256 | 0.6% | $40,211 | 0.63 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 246 | 0.6% | $64,822 | 1.29 |
| Real estate and rental | 242 | 0.6% | $54,378 | 0.31 |
| Utilities | 170 | 0.4% | $102,195 | 0.88 |
| Information | 138 | 0.3% | $51,333 | 0.15 |
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 | 72.2% |
| Public transit | 1.9% |
| Walk | 1.8% |
| Work from home | 8.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,716 |
| Income per person | $32,043 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,071 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.9% |
| Median home value | $242,500 |
| Homeowners | 51.8% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 97.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,990 |
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 | 36.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.9% |
| Born abroad | 6.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.6 | 38 | 79 |
| Feb | 5.5 | 42 | 78 |
| Mar | 9.8 | 50 | 93 |
| Apr | 15.2 | 59 | 95 |
| May | 20.1 | 68 | 106 |
| Jun | 24.8 | 77 | 109 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 116 |
| Aug | 26.0 | 79 | 115 |
| Sep | 22.4 | 72 | 103 |
| Oct | 16.0 | 61 | 87 |
| Nov | 9.6 | 49 | 89 |
| Dec | 5.6 | 42 | 104 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | NC | 15 mi | 19,690 | $43,128 | $893 |
| Kannapolis | NC | 15 mi | 57,890 | $73,836 | $1,319 |
| Mooresville | NC | 20 mi | 52,381 | $89,647 | $1,626 |
| Concord | NC | 21 mi | 108,719 | $86,921 | $1,451 |
| Davidson | NC | 22 mi | 15,660 | $166,556 | $1,652 |
| Statesville | NC | 23 mi | 29,894 | $52,880 | $1,000 |
| Cornelius | NC | 26 mi | 32,783 | $113,767 | $1,722 |
| Lake Norman of Iredell | NC | 26 mi | 12,494 | $173,542 | $1,327 |
| Clemmons | NC | 26 mi | 21,871 | $87,655 | $1,269 |
| Harrisburg | NC | 26 mi | 19,633 | $148,254 | $2,640 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
35,825 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,071 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.9% of the median household income.
$53,716 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Rowan County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.