North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted January unemployment rate was 3.5%, decreasing by 0.1 of a percentage point from December’s revised rate, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. The national rate remained unchanged at 3.7%.
North Carolina’s unemployment rate was unchanged from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 6,721 over the month to 5,068,208 and increased 64,125 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 1,640 over the month to 185,760 and increased 2,495 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 11,600 to 4,977,200 in January. Major industries experiencing increases were Professional and Business Services, 5,900; Construction, 4,000; Education and Health Services, 1,900; Other Services, 900; Financial Activities, 600; Manufacturing, 400; Government, 300; and Mining and Logging, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Trade, Transportation and Utilities, 2,300; and Information, 200. Leisure and Hospitality Services employment remained unchanged.
Since January 2023, total nonfarm jobs increased 75,200 with the total private sector increasing by 56,500 and government increasing by 18,700. Major industries experiencing increases were Education and Health Services, 24,600; Government, 18,700; Leisure and Hospitality Services, 17,700; Construction, 8,800; Financial Activities, 7,500; Professional and Business Services, 3,300; Other Services, 2,500; Trade, Transportation and Utilities, 600; and Mining and Logging, 200. Major industries experiencing decreases were Manufacturing, 6,000; and Information, 2,700.
Commerce will release unemployment rates for North Carolina’s counties on Wednesday.