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North Carolina

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Payroll employment in North Carolina increased by 10,200 jobs (0.2 percent) in April. The unemployment rate remained steady at 3.5 percent.

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  • "After adding just 500 jobs in March, North Carolina added 10,200 jobs in April. The labor force continued its upward trend, increasing by 2,400." — Laura Ullrich
  • Payroll employment in North Carolina increased by 10,200 jobs (0.2 percent), on net, in April. The trade, transportation and utilities sector had the largest increase in jobs month-over-month (2,700 jobs), followed by government (2,000 jobs), financial activities (1,700 jobs), professional and business services (1,700 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (1,500 jobs). Additionally, construction (900 jobs) and education and health services (300 jobs) saw jobs added in April. Only one sector, manufacturing, saw job losses in April (700 jobs).
  • On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in North Carolina increased by 61,400 jobs (1.2 percent), on net. Manufacturing remains the only sector in the state that is below pre-COVID levels of employment, with 8,500 fewer jobs than in February 2020.
  • The unemployment rate in North Carolina remained steady at 3.5 percent in April, 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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