Table 62. Selected Principal Operator Characteristics by Race: 2012 and 2007 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All principal 
operators 
American Indian or 
Alaska Native 
Asian 
Black or 
African American 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
50,218 
52,913 
596 
603 
179 
122 
1,637 
1,491 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
43,765 
45,897 
519 
531 
138 
104 
1,439 
1,299 
Female 
6,453 
7,016 
77 
72 
41 
18 
198 
192 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
24,574 
24,244 
336 
259 
114 
86 
848 
722 
Other 
25,644 
28,669 
260 
344 
65 
36 
789 
769 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
39,098 
41,587 
466 
457 
147 
109 
1,059 
1,015 
Not on farm operated 
11,120 
11,326 
130 
146 
32 
13 
578 
476 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
20,047 
19,602 
264 
187 
57 
45 
698 
569 
Any 
30,171 
33,311 
332 
416 
122 
77 
939 
922 
1 to 49 days 
3,864 
5,279 
38 
89 
19 
5 
113 
161 
50 to 99 days 
2,364 
2,749 
43 
28 
11 
12 
83 
94 
100 to 199 days 
4,390 
4,572 
58 
56 
9 
15 
169 
154 
200 days or more 
19,553 
20,711 
193 
243 
83 
45 
574 
513 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
1,659 
2,153 
17 
21 
8 
10 
72 
74 
3 or 4 years 
2,459 
3,453 
37 
48 
23 
22 
70 
90 
5 to 9 years 
6,909 
8,385 
78 
121 
69 
32 
196 
212 
10 years or more 
39,191 
38,922 
464 
413 
79 
58 
1,299 
1,115 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,298 
(NA) 
15 
(NA) 
8 
(NA) 
66 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
2,030 
(NA) 
28 
(NA) 
23 
(NA) 
58 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
5,935 
(NA) 
66 
(NA) 
66 
(NA) 
168 
(NA) 
1 0 years or more 
40,955 
(NA) 
487 
(NA) 
82 
(NA) 
1,345 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
220 
307 
4 
- 
- 
1 
14 
5 
25 to 34 years 
2,101 
2,056 
31 
37 
5 
7 
37 
21 
35 to 44 years 
4,932 
6,521 
41 
96 
40 
27 
73 
87 
45 to 54 years 
10,391 
13,035 
142 
141 
62 
29 
233 
259 
55 to 64 years 
15,124 
15,269 
197 
176 
43 
41 
546 
543 
65 to 74 years 
11,629 
10,367 
131 
126 
26 
15 
529 
345 
75 years and over 
5,821 
5,358 
50 
27 
3 
2 
205 
231 
Average age 
58.9 
57.3 
58.0 
55.5 
52.2 
52.2 
62.0 
61.9 
Number of persons living in household 
122,234 
132,395 
1,585 
1,582 
667 
449 
3,508 
3,568 
Characteristics 
Native Hawaiian or 
Other Pacific Islander 
White 
More than one race reported 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
- 
9 
47,627 
50,503 
179 
185 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
- 
2 
41,523 
43,810 
146 
151 
Female 
- 
7 
6,104 
6,693 
33 
34 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
- 
1 
23,200 
23,103 
76 
73 
Other 
" 
8 
24,427 
27,400 
103 
112 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
- 
9 
37,269 
39,837 
157 
160 
Not on farm operated 
- 
- 
10,358 
10,666 
22 
25 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
- 
1 
18,966 
18,733 
62 
67 
Any 
- 
8 
28,661 
31,770 
117 
118 
1 to 49 days 
- 
- 
3,682 
5,002 
12 
22 
50 to 99 days 
- 
- 
2,223 
2,596 
4 
19 
100 to 199 days 
- 
3 
4,142 
4,334 
12 
10 
200 days or more 
- 
5 
18,614 
19,838 
89 
67 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
- 
- 
1,548 
2,036 
14 
12 
3 or 4 years 
- 
- 
2,324 
3,280 
5 
13 
5 to 9 years 
- 
3 
6,525 
7,985 
41 
32 
10 years or more 
- 
6 
37,230 
37,202 
119 
128 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
(NA) 
1,206 
(NA) 
3 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
- 
(NA) 
1,916 
(NA) 
5 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
" 
(NA) 
5,606 
(NA) 
29 
(NA) 
1 0 years or more 
- 
(NA) 
38,899 
(NA) 
142 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
- 
- 
202 
301 
- 
- 
25 to 34 years 
- 
- 
2,025 
1,983 
3 
8 
35 to 44 years 
- 
3 
4,750 
6,288 
28 
20 
45 to 54 years 
- 
2 
9,906 
12,548 
48 
56 
55 to 64 years 
- 
4 
14,283 
14,454 
55 
51 
65 to 74 years 
- 
- 
10,914 
9,848 
29 
33 
75 years and over 
- 
- 
5,547 
5,081 
16 
17 
Average age 
- 
51.4 
58.8 
57.2 
57.0 
56.7 
Number of persons living in household 
- 
42 
116,029 
126,303 
445 
451 
54 North Carolina 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
