Raleigh, N.C. — The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 5.1 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from November’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.7 percent.
North Carolina’s December 2016 unemployment rate was 0.5 of a percentage point lower than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 30,058 over the month to 4,667,739 and increased 154,386 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 8,718 over the month to 251,607 and decreased 16,825 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 6,800 to 4,360,200 in December. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Education & Health Services at 3,000, followed by Leisure & Hospitality Services, 2,300; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 2,300; Financial Activities, 1,500; Manufacturing, 200; and Information, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Professional & Business Services, 900; Government, 800; Other Services, 700; and Construction, 200. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the month.
Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates since December 2015
| Dec 2015 | Jan 2016 | Feb 2016 | Mar 2016 | Apr 2016 | May 2016 | June 2016 | June 2016 | Aug 2016 | Sep 2016 | Oct 2016 | Nov 2016 | Dec 2016 | |
| N.C. | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| U.S. | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.7 |
* Please note: 2015 Numbers Have Been Annually Revised *
Since December 2015, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 85,200 with the Total Private sector growing by 79,500 and Government increasing by 5,700. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries was Professional & Business Services at 26,100, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 21,100; Education & Health Services, 9,300; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 8,100; Construction, 6,000; Government, 5,700; Manufacturing, 4,500; Other Services, 4,100; Financial Activities, 2,500; and Mining & Logging, 100. The only major industry experiencing a decrease was Information, 2,300.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, February 1, 2017 when the county unemployment rates for December 2016 will be released.