North Carolina Ranked Dead Last for Workers in 2026

By Cash Michaels –

The “Old North State” may reliably appear on the top of many national lists when it comes to being one of the best in business, quality of life, or getting a college education, but when it comes to policies favorable to workers, a new survey found that it’s dead last.

According to a new report from Oxfam of its “Best States to Work Index for 2026,” which analyzed 37 labor policies in all 50 states, plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico, North Carolina ranked last, #52, with a jaw-dropping score of 4.90 points out of a possible 100, when it came to wage policies, worker protection policies and right-to-organize policies.

North Carolina has officially been a right-to-work state since 1947, meaning that workers legally cannot be compelled to join a union. Generally this is seen as undermining the right of workers to push for better salaries and benefits, and better working conditions through collective bargaining.

“The average worker in North Carolina feels the effect of being 52 out of 52. They feel it when they can’t get a day off when their child is sick and has to stay home from school. They feel it when they have to choose between taking care of that child and putting food on the table,” said Braxton Winston, president of NC AFL-CIO, which represents more than 100,000 union members.

According to available data, the minimum wage hasn’t been raised in North Carolina since 2009, when it was increased to $7.25 to match the federal minimum wage.