March 2026

Released May 06, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 14, rose in 10, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 15. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Tennessee. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Hawaii, Montana, and Oregon.

North Carolina

Employment snapshot

• In March, North Carolina added 9,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 3,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 44,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 3.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, North Carolina’s private sector added 9,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 39,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 4,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in North Carolina fell by 3,097, and over the past 12 months it rose by 18,671.

• North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 59 percent in March from 59.1 percent and ranks 43rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.

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North Carolina

Payroll employment

• North Carolina added 9,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 3,000 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Carolina added 9,600 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, North Carolina lost 4,000 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina ranks 4th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From February 2026 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+4,600) and Manufacturing (+2,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-400) and Mining and Logging (-100).

From March 2025 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+21,000) and Construction (+11,300).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-9,800) and Federal Government (-6,000).

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 percent in March from 59.1 percent in the prior month.

• North Carolina ranks 43rd in the nation.

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

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.