NC!JOBS=LAUS(37)
North Carolina: jobs and unemployment
Unemployment, employment and the labor force in North Carolina from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS LAUSLatest month: September 2026
Unemployment, September 20263.4%#15 of 51 · #1 = lowest
Annual average, 20253.8%US 4.3%, weighted by labor force
Labor force, 20255.30M+0.1% on a year earlier
Employed, 20255.10M202,822 unemployed
Labor forceEmployed
| Year | Unemployment rate | Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.8% | 5,299,605 | 5,096,783 | 202,822 | |
| 2024 | 3.7% | 5,295,197 | 5,101,603 | 193,594 | |
| 2023 | 3.5% | 5,272,358 | 5,088,209 | 184,149 | |
| 2022 | 3.7% | 5,188,493 | 4,996,908 | 191,585 | |
| 2021 | 4.8% | 4,954,754 | 4,714,601 | 240,153 | |
| 2020 | 7.2% | 4,832,791 | 4,482,629 | 350,162 | |
| 2019 | 3.9% | 4,984,667 | 4,792,188 | 192,479 | |
| 2018 | 4.0% | 4,904,970 | 4,708,294 | 196,676 | |
| 2017 | 4.5% | 4,857,716 | 4,637,616 | 220,100 | |
| 2016 | 5.1% | 4,781,344 | 4,538,202 | 243,142 | |
| 2015 | 5.7% | 4,708,478 | 4,441,253 | 267,225 | |
| 2014 | 6.1% | 4,656,513 | 4,371,693 | 284,820 | |
| 2013 | 7.8% | 4,670,922 | 4,307,090 | 363,832 | |
| 2012 | 9.6% | 4,699,841 | 4,248,439 | 451,402 | |
| 2011 | 10.4% | 4,648,299 | 4,165,997 | 482,302 | |
| 2010 | 10.8% | 4,649,009 | 4,145,612 | 503,397 | |
| 2009 | 10.8% | 4,662,548 | 4,157,914 | 504,634 | |
| 2008 | 5.9% | 4,626,375 | 4,353,233 | 273,142 | |
| 2007 | 4.7% | 4,564,530 | 4,348,843 | 215,687 | |
| 2006 | 4.7% | 4,487,934 | 4,276,081 | 211,853 | |
| 2005 | 5.2% | 4,367,089 | 4,139,616 | 227,473 | |
| 2004 | 5.5% | 4,297,751 | 4,062,474 | 235,277 | |
| 2003 | 6.3% | 4,284,490 | 4,016,263 | 268,227 | |
| 2002 | 6.5% | 4,204,099 | 3,929,243 | 274,856 | |
| 2001 | 5.5% | 4,193,892 | 3,964,143 | 229,749 | |
| 2000 | 3.8% | 4,126,258 | 3,971,429 | 154,829 | |
| 1999 | 3.3% | 4,036,617 | 3,903,101 | 133,516 | |
| 1998 | 3.5% | 3,963,401 | 3,823,204 | 140,197 | |
| 1997 | 3.8% | 3,954,989 | 3,802,959 | 152,030 | |
| 1996 | 4.4% | 3,873,135 | 3,704,323 | 168,812 | |
| 1995 | 4.4% | 3,749,213 | 3,585,596 | 163,617 | |
| 1994 | 4.4% | 3,674,914 | 3,512,152 | 162,762 | |
| 1993 | 5.1% | 3,618,890 | 3,433,805 | 185,085 | |
| 1992 | 6.3% | 3,596,933 | 3,372,007 | 224,926 | |
| 1991 | 5.9% | 3,531,193 | 3,322,360 | 208,833 | |
| 1990 | 4.1% | 3,474,656 | 3,331,511 | 143,145 | |
| 1989 | 3.6% | 3,442,747 | 3,319,730 | 123,017 | |
| 1988 | 3.7% | 3,379,609 | 3,254,809 | 124,800 | |
| 1987 | 4.5% | 3,314,947 | 3,164,465 | 150,482 | |
| 1986 | 5.3% | 3,219,948 | 3,048,920 | 171,028 | |
| 1985 | 5.7% | 3,136,561 | 2,958,776 | 177,785 | |
| 1984 | 6.6% | 3,053,399 | 2,851,704 | 201,695 | |
| 1983 | 9.0% | 2,976,639 | 2,708,701 | 267,938 | |
| 1982 | 9.3% | 2,955,629 | 2,680,579 | 275,050 | |
| 1981 | 6.5% | 2,907,237 | 2,719,606 | 187,631 | |
| 1980 | 6.4% | 2,854,655 | 2,673,128 | 181,527 | |
| 1979 | 4.8% | 2,809,110 | 2,673,630 | 135,480 | |
| 1978 | 4.6% | 2,764,442 | 2,638,240 | 126,202 | |
| 1977 | 5.9% | 2,684,570 | 2,526,540 | 158,030 | |
| 1976 | 6.2% | 2,607,795 | 2,444,932 | 162,863 |
BLS LAUS: monthly rates are seasonally adjusted; annual averages are not seasonally adjusted.