Farm Census

Randolph County, North Carolina

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

1,238 farms131,301 acres in farms$451 million in farm sales

No other county in North Carolina with a published figure has more farms or hay and haylage than Randolph County.

Its largest product group, poultry and eggs, makes up 78.1% of farm sales, against 49.4% across North Carolina.

Poultry and eggs: 78.1%Poultry and eggs78.1%Milk: 11.2%Milk11.2%Cattle and calves: 3.2%3.2%Grains and oilseeds: 3.1%3.1%Hogs and pigs: 1.7%1.7%Nursery and greenhouse: 1.2%1.2%Hay and other crops: 0.5%0.5%Vegetables and melons: 0.4%0.4%Tobacco: 0.3%Fruit and nuts: 0.2%Other animals: 0.1%Horses and mules: 0.1%Sheep and goats: 0.1%Poultry and eggs: 78.1%Poultry and eggs78.1%Milk: 11.2%Milk11.2%Cattle and calves: 3.2%3.2%Grains and oilseeds: 3.1%3.1%Hogs and pigs: 1.7%1.7%Nursery and greenhouse: 1.2%Hay and other crops: 0.5%Vegetables and melons: 0.4%Tobacco: 0.3%Fruit and nuts: 0.2%Other animals: 0.1%Horses and mules: 0.1%Sheep and goats: 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Poultry and eggs$352 million8th of 78
Milk from cows$50.3 million2nd of 18
Cattle and calves$14.4 million3rd of 83
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$13.9 million42nd of 91
Hogs and pigs$7.8 million29th of 61
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$5.4 million26th of 73
Hay and other crops$2.4 million31st of 85
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$1.8 million36th of 78
Tobacco$1.2 million39th of 44
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$835,00035th of 76
Other animals and animal products$270,0007th of 61
Horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys$261,00018th of 53
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$244,0009th of 68

What the fields held

Randolph County harvested 48,434 acres of cropland in 2022, 33rd of 97 counties in North Carolina. Hay and haylage covered acreage equal to 45% of that, soybeans 21%.

CropAcresShare of US
Hay and haylage21,630under 0.1%
Soybeans10,156under 0.1%
Corn for grain7,865under 0.1%
Corn for silage5,4970.09%
Wheat4,769under 0.1%
Barley446under 0.1%
Tobacco2750.13%
Oats162under 0.1%
Vegetables152under 0.1%
Orchard land76under 0.1%
of which grapes21under 0.1%
of which apples19under 0.1%
of which pecans29under 0.1%
Berries20under 0.1%

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms26.2%

Randolph County ranks 44th of 97 counties in North Carolina on this measure.

  • 56,732 acres of cropland, 43% of farmland
  • 37,853 acres of pastureland, 29% of farmland
  • 35,153 acres of woodland, 27% of farmland
  • 690 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Randolph County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 49 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 106 acres, 60th-largest of 88 in North Carolina. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 42.8% of farms. Fewer than 1% of farms have 1,000 acres or more.

1–97%10–4943%50–17936%180–49910%500–9993%1,000–1,9991%2,000+0%
Randolph County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Broilers sold in 202240,541,2730.44%
Laying hens917,9270.24%
Milk cows8,9290.10%
Goats2,0170.08%
Beef cows15,9860.05%
Cattle and calves43,848under 0.1%
Horses and ponies778under 0.1%
Sheep and lambs1,293under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs11,882under 0.1%
Turkeys180under 0.1%

Who farms here

Decisions on Randolph County's 1,238 farms are made by 2,064 producers. Their average age is 56.7, 1.4 years below the North Carolina average. Women are 32.1% of them.

Under 3512%35–4412%45–5417%55–6423%65–7422%75+14%
Randolph County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms1,368−9.5%
Land in farms, acres147,781−11.2%
Average farm size, acres108−1.9%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$282 million+60.0%
Broilers sold, head35,079,278+15.6%
Laying hens, head623,000+47.3%
Tobacco, acres745−63.1%
Milk cows, head7,774+14.9%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Randolph County accounts for 2.4% of farm sales in North Carolina and 2.9% of the farms in North Carolina. Rank North Carolina counties for broilers sold.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.