December 2024

Released January 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 7, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 43 states and fell in 7. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

North Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In December, North Carolina added 10,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 13,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 85,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. North Carolina is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, North Carolina’s private sector added 10,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 69,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 12,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in North Carolina rose by 1,224, and over the past 12 months it rose by 5,467.

• North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 59.9 percent in December from 60 percent and is tied for 39th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.

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North Carolina Payroll Employment

• North Carolina added 10,600 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, North Carolina added 13,100 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. North Carolina is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Carolina added 10,000 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, North Carolina added 12,600 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. North Carolina is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during December were Professional and Business Services (5,300) and Leisure and Hospitality (3,600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-700) and Financial Activities (-900).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (29,200) and Professional and Business Services (19,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,800) and Manufacturing (-7,800).

North Carolina Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in North Carolina fell to 59.9 percent in December from 60 percent in the prior month.

• North Carolina is tied for 39th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in North Carolina was 61.6 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 56.5 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.