April 2025

Released May 21, 2025

Released April 18, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

North Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In April, North Carolina added 18,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 13,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 76,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 6th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, North Carolina’s private sector added 17,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 60,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 12,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in North Carolina fell by 81, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,063.

• North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 59.6 percent in April from 59.7 percent and ranks 41st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.9 percentage points.

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North Carolina Payroll Employment

• North Carolina added 18,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, North Carolina added 13,400 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 6th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Carolina added 17,200 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, North Carolina added 12,300 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Professional and Business Services (4,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (4,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Mining and Logging (100) and Financial Activities (-400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (20,300) and Professional and Business Services (17,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-600) and Manufacturing (-5,300).

North Carolina Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in North Carolina fell to 59.6 percent in April from 59.7 percent in the prior month.

• North Carolina ranks 41st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in North Carolina was 61.6 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 56.6 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.