The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, decreasing 0.1 of a percentage point from November’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 3.5 percent.
North Carolina’s December 2019 unemployment rate remained unchanged from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 7,227 over the month to 4,939,767 and increased 137,509 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 6,432 over the month to 191,019 and increased 5,095 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 300 to 4,593,600 in December. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Leisure & Hospitality Services, 5,600; Financial Activities, 1,200; Information, 900; Other Services, 600; Education & Health Services, 400; and Manufacturing, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Professional & Business Services, 6,400; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 1,100; Government, 900; and Mining & Logging, 100. Construction employment remained unchanged over the month.
Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates since December 2018
| Dec 2018 | Jan 2019 | Feb 2019 | Mar 2019 | Apr 2019 | May 2019 | June 2019 | July 2019 | August 2019 | Sep 2019 | Oct 2019 | Nov 2019 | Dec 2019 | |
| N.C. | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| U.S. | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
* Please note: 2018 Numbers Have Been Annually Revised *
Since December 2018, Total Nonfarm jobs increased 93,900 with the Total Private sector increasing by 90,500 and Government increasing by 3,400. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries were Leisure & Hospitality Services, 30,200; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 18,100; Education & Health Services, 13,800; Financial Activities, 9,900; Professional & Business Services, 9,100; Other Services, 7,100; Information, 4,000; and Construction, 200. The only major industry experiencing a decrease was Manufacturing, 1,900. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the year.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, 2020 when the county unemployment rates for December 2019 will be released