June 2025 | Released July 18, 2025
Download the full PDF for North Carolina
Download the summary PDF for North Carolina
United States
Employment snapshot
In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 11, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 33.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.
In June, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Alaska. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Rhode Island.
North Carolina
Employment snapshot
In June, North Carolina added 5,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 2,700 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 80,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In June, North Carolina’s private sector added 4,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 66,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 2,400 net private payroll jobs.
In June, employment in North Carolina fell by 3,023, and over the past 12 months it fell by 6,560.
North Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 59.4 percent in June from 59.5 percent and ranks 41st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.9 percentage points.
North Carolina
Payroll employment
North Carolina added 5,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, North Carolina added 2,700 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
North Carolina added 4,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, North Carolina added 2,400 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 74,000 jobs in June, or 0.1 percent. North Carolina is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From May 2025 to June 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+3,600) and Construction (+2,300).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,000) and Manufacturing (-1,300).
From June 2024 to June 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+26,600) and Professional and Business Services (+19,200).
- The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-7,100) and Information (-1,000).
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 59.4 percent in June from 59.5 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 fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.3 percent in June.