— The state’s seasonally adjusted January unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, remaining unchanged from December’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.9 percent.
North Carolina’s January 2016 unemployment rate was 0.1 of a percentage point lower than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 18,257 over the month to 4,531,610 and increased 87,478 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 1,415 over the month to 267,017, and decreased 1,427 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 23,200 to 4,298,200 in January. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Government and Leisure & Hospitality Services, each at 5,000, followed by Construction, 3,800; Education & Health Services, 2,800; Manufacturing, 2,700; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 2,600; Financial Activities, 1,500; Other Services, 1,000; and Mining & Logging, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Information, 800; and Professional & Business Services, 500.
Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates since January 2015
| Jan 2015 | Feb 2015 | Mar 2015 | Apr 2015 | May 2015 | Jun 2015 | Jul 2015 | Aug 2015 | Sep 2015 | Oct 2015 | Nov 2015 | Dec 2015 | Jan 2016 | |
| N.C. | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| U.S. | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.9 |
* Please note: 2015 Numbers Have Been Annually Revised *
Since January 2015, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 104,300 with the Total Private sector growing by 99,900 and Government increasing by 4,400. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries was Professional & Business Services at 24,500, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 22,300; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 17,900; Construction, 12,400; Education & Health Services, 7,700; Financial Activities, 5,500; Other Services, 5,200; Government, 4,400; Manufacturing, 3,300; and Information, 1,100. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the year.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, March 18, 2016 when the county unemployment rates for January 2016 will be released.
This information may be accessed on the Commerce website at http://www.nccommerce.com/lead