This press release, first published on March 11, 2019, has been updated to now include the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' historical revisions for all labor force data, including updated information for the January 2018 labor force data as well as the reported over-the-year changes.
The state’s seasonally adjusted January unemployment rate was 3.8 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from December’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.0 percent.
North Carolina’s January 2019 unemployment rate decreased 0.4 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 7,025 over the month to 4,809,283 and increased 56,149 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 5,083 over the month to 191,007 and decreased 18,022 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 34,700 to 4,534,400 in January. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Leisure & Hospitality Services at 9,000, followed by Education & Health Services, 7,200; Construction, 6,200; Professional & Business Services, 6,200; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 2,900; Financial Activities, 1,600; Manufacturing, 1,000; Government, 800; and Mining & Logging, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Information, 200; and Other Services, 100.
Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates since January 2018
| Jan 2018 | Feb 2018 | Mar 2018 | Apr 2018 | May 2018 | June 2018 | July 2018 | Aug 2018 | Sep 2018 | Oct 2018 | Nov 2018 | Dec 2018 | Jan 2019 | |
| N.C. | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 |
| U.S. | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
* Please note: 2018 Numbers Have Been Annually Revised *
Since January 2018, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 73,800 with the Total Private sector growing by 74,600 and Government decreasing by 800. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries was Leisure & Hospitality Services, 16,600, followed by Professional & Business Services, 13,400; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 12,600; Education & Health Services, 12,300; Construction, 10,000; Financial Activities, 6,100; Manufacturing, 3,700; and Information, 400. Major industries experiencing decreases were Government, 800; Mining & Logging, 300; and Other Services, 200.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, March 15, 2019 when the county unemployment rates for January 2019 will be released.