November 2024 | Released December 19, 2024

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In November, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In November, payroll jobs rose in 39 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Washington. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Vermont.

North Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In November, North Carolina added 15,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 3,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 82,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 15th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In November, North Carolina’s private sector added 14,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 66,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 4,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In November, employment in North Carolina fell by 1,747, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,027.

• North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 60 percent in November from 60.1 percent and ranks 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 15,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 3,300 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 15th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Carolina added 14,700 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 4,900 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 194,000 jobs in November, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 16th 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 November were Professional and Business Services (6,700) and Construction (3,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-300) and Manufacturing (-3,000).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (29,000) and Professional and Business Services tied with Government (16,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-700) and Manufacturing (-7,500).

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 percent in November from 60.1 percent in the prior month.

• North Carolina ranks 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 fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5 percent in November.