The state’s seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, remaining unchanged from January’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5 percent.
North Carolina’s February 2020 unemployment rate decreased 0.5 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 6,250 over the month to 4,931,991 and increased 84,031 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 2,293 over the month to 182,598 and decreased 22,068 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 5,900 to 4,614,600 in February. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Professional & Business Services, 2,100; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 1,900; Government, 1,700; Financial Activities, 1,500; Construction, 400; and Information, 200. Major industries experiencing decreases were Manufacturing, 600; Other Services, 600; Education & Health Services, 500; and Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 200. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the month.
Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates since February 2019
| Feb 2019 | Mar 2019 | Apr 2019 | May 2019 | June 2019 | July 2019 | August 2019 | Sep 2019 | Oct 2019 | Nov 2019 | Dec 2019 | Jan 2020 | Feb 2020 | |
| N.C. | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| U.S. | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 |
* Please note: 2019 numbers have undergone annual revision *
Since February 2019, Total Nonfarm jobs increased 58,600 with the Total Private sector increasing by 50,500 and Government increasing by 8,100. The largest over-the-year increases among major industries were Leisure & Hospitality Services, 23,800; Financial Activities, 11,300; Government, 8,100; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 6,600; Other Services, 4,100; Information, 2,800; Education & Health Services, 1,500; Manufacturing, 500; and Construction, 400. The only major industry experiencing a decrease was Professional & Business Services, 500. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the year.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2020 when the county unemployment rates for February 2020 will be released.
NOTE TO EDITORS: The statistics reported in this release do not reflect the impact of the current COVID-19 situation in North Carolina.