April 2026

Released May 22, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in North Dakota.

North Carolina

Employment snapshot

• In April, North Carolina added 16,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 11,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 45,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 3.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, North Carolina’s private sector added 15,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 41,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 10,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in North Carolina fell by 9,660, and over the past 12 months it rose by 9,126.

• North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 58.8 percent in April from 59 percent and is tied for 44th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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North Carolina

Payroll employment

• North Carolina added 16,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, North Carolina added 11,100 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Carolina added 15,100 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, North Carolina added 10,900 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From March 2026 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+5,700) and Professional and Business Services (+3,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-100) and Federal Government (+0).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+19,300) and Construction (+13,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-10,600) and Federal Government (-5,900).

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 58.8 percent in April from 59 percent in the prior month.

• North Carolina is tied for 44th 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 61.8 percent in April.