United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
North Carolina Employment Snapshot
In May, North Carolina added 14,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.6 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 14,700 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 72,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.3 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. North Carolina is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, North Carolina’s private sector added 13,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 57,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 12,800 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in North Carolina rose by 3,965, and over the past 12 months it rose by 24,423.
North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 60.5 percent in May from 60.6 percent and ranks 38th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.
North Carolina Payroll Employment
North Carolina added 14,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, North Carolina added 14,700 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. North Carolina is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
North Carolina added 13,700 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, North Carolina added 12,800 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. North Carolina is tied for 24th 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 May were Professional and Business Services tied with Leisure and Hospitality (6,800) and Education and Health Services (2,600).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,500) and Manufacturing (-2,000).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (21,600) and Leisure and Hospitality (20,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,900) and Manufacturing (-7,400).
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 60.5 percent in May from 60.6 percent in the prior month.
North Carolina ranks 38th 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 fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.