February 2025 | Released March 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In February, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 29.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In February, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 23. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Wyoming. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Alaska.

North Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In February, North Carolina added 10,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 8,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 64,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.5 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In February, North Carolina’s private sector added 9,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 49,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 8,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In February, employment in North Carolina rose by 3,448, and over the past 12 months it rose by 3,285.

• North Carolina’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 59.8 percent in February and ranks 40th 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 10,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, North Carolina added 8,700 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Carolina added 9,500 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, North Carolina added 8,700 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in February, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 12th 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 February were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (2,800) and Education and Health Services (2,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-200) and Manufacturing (-1,200).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (23,100) and Government (15,200).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-1,300) and Manufacturing (-9,000).

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 remained unchanged at 59.8 percent in February.

• North Carolina ranks 40th 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 56.6 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in February.