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North Carolina

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Payroll employment in North Carolina increased 500 jobs (0.0 percent) in March. The unemployment rate remained steady at 3.5 percent.

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Labor market icon showing three people Labor Market Conditions

  • "North Carolina added just 500 jobs in March, the lowest number for many, many months. The labor force continued its upward trend, increasing by 4,400." — Laura Ullrich
  • Payroll employment in North Carolina increased 500 jobs (0.0 percent), on net, in March. The leisure and hospitality sector had the largest increase in jobs month-over-month (1,900 jobs), followed by education and health services (1,800 jobs) and construction (1,800 jobs). The largest declines were observed in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (2,100 jobs) followed by professional and business services (1,800 jobs), government (1,200 jobs) and manufacturing (400 jobs).
  • On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in North Carolina increased by 57,300 jobs (1.2 percent), on net. Manufacturing remains the only sector in the state that is below pre-COVID levels of employment, with 7,500 fewer jobs than in February 2020.
  • The unemployment rate in North Carolina remained steady at 3.5 percent in March, up from 3.3 percent a year ago.

Housing Market icon showing a picture of a house Housing Market Conditions

  • Residential permitting activity was up 5.4 percent in North Carolina from January to February and down 1.1 percent from February 2023.
  • According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home values in North Carolina in the fourth quarter were up 6.4 percent from a year earlier.
Snapshot Resources
  • Term Definitions

    Payroll Employment
    The number of nonfarm jobs (persons on payrolls) according to where those jobs are located.

    Unemployment Rate
    The number of unemployed persons (those not employed but available and searching for work) as a percent of the civilian labor force (the total number of employed plus unemployed persons).

    Industry Structure
    A breakdown of total nonfarm jobs by industry. Percentages sum to 100 percent.

    Industry Growth
    The percentage change in jobs in each industry from a year ago.

    Building Permits
    The number of privately owned single-family and multi-family units authorized in permit-issuing places.

    House Price Index
    A repeat sales index, measuring average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same single-family properties.

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