RALEIGH — The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, decreasing 0.1 of a percentage point from November’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 5.0 percent.
North Carolina’s December 2015 unemployment rate was 0.2 of a percentage point higher than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 17,547 over the month to 4,522,298 and increased 147,029 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 799 over the month to 269,833, and increased 19,806 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 6,900 to 4,289,900 in December. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Leisure & Hospitality Services at 6,300, followed by Construction, 3,200; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 1,800; Information, 500; Government, 400; Other Services, 400; Professional & Business Services, 200; and Mining & Logging, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Education & Health Services, 2,500; Manufacturing, 2,100; and Financial Activities, 1,400.
Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates since December 2014
| Dec 2014 | Jan 2015 | Feb 2015 | Mar 2015 | Apr 2015 | May 2015 | Jun 2015 | Jul 2015 | Aug 2015 | Sep 2015 | Oct 2015 | Nov 2015 | Dec 2015 | |
| N.C. | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 |
| U.S. | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
* 2014 Numbers Have Been Annually Revised *
Since December 2014, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 86,800 with the Total Private sector growing by 85,500 and Government increasing by 1,300. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries was Professional & Business Services at 19,200, followed by Leisure & Hospitality Services, 13,700; Education & Health Services, 13,300; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 11,700; Financial Activities, 8,500; Construction, 7,100; Other Services, 5,200; Manufacturing, 4,700; Information, 2,100; and Government, 1,300. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the year.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, February 3, 2016 when the county unemployment rates for December 2015 will be released.
This information may be accessed on the Commerce website at http://www.nccommerce.com/lead