December 2025 | Released January 27, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 22.
The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.
In December, payroll jobs rose in 23 states and fell in 27. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Delaware and Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Kansas and Nebraska.
North Carolina
Employment snapshot
In December, North Carolina added 3,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. In the prior month, North Carolina added 5,100 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, North Carolina added 80,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.7 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. North Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In December, North Carolina’s private sector added 2,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 78,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Carolina added 5,000 net private payroll jobs.
In December, employment in North Carolina rose by 9,802, and over the past 12 months it rose by 14,611.
North Carolina’s labor force participation rate rose to 59.2 percent in December from 59.1 percent and ranks 42nd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.
North Carolina
Payroll employment
North Carolina added 3,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, North Carolina added 5,100 jobs. North Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. North Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
North Carolina added 2,400 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, North Carolina added 5,000 jobs. North Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. North Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From November 2025 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+2,900) and Financial Activities (+1,900).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-5,900) and Manufacturing (-800).
From December 2024 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+19,400) and Professional and Business Services (+18,200).
- The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-7,200) and Federal Government (-4,700).
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 rose to 59.2 percent in December from 59.1 percent in the prior month.
North Carolina ranks 42nd 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 62.4 percent in December.