Due to its unique location and diverse communities, Iredell County attracts a broad mix of industries. In 2017, the Centralina Region, representing a nine-county region, completed an industry cluster analysis and identified five key industry clusters of opportunity for the region. The report demonstrated that Iredell County has concentration and strengths in all five industry sectors, which include Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Financial Services, Logistics and Warehousing. As a strong agriculture county, we also recognize agriculture as a sixth industry cluster.
Top Iredell Industries By Employment
| Rank | Industry Sector | Number of Establishments | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 780 | 12,433 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 358 | 11,513 |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 714 | 10,040 |
| 4 | Accommodation and Food Services | 466 | 7,616 |
| 5 | Educational Services | 119 | 5,400 |
| 6 | Construction | 780 | 4,945 |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management | 546 | 4,104 |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 586 | 3,760 |
| 9 | Public Administration | 33 | 3,269 |
| 10 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1068 | 3,185 |
Source: N.C Department of Commerce – Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
(Q1 2026 Data)
