The state of North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2026 remained steady at 3.8 percent, according to a recent government press release. This rate is consistent with December 2025’s revised figure and reflects no change from January 2025. Comparatively, the national unemployment rate saw a slight decrease, moving from 4.4 percent in December 2025 to 4.3 percent in January 2026. These figures illustrate the stability of North Carolina’s job market over the past year.
The number of employed individuals in North Carolina decreased by 3,494 over the month, totaling 5,109,781, though there was a year-over-year increase of 19,919. In contrast, the number of unemployed individuals rose slightly by 96 over the month and by 2,876 over the year, reaching 203,481. The state’s Total Nonfarm employment, derived from the monthly establishment survey, saw an increase of 5,200 jobs in January, rising to 5,073,400. Sectors contributing to this growth included Private Education & Health Services with 4,700 jobs, and Construction with 1,300 jobs.
Some industries experienced declines; Information lost 1,600 jobs, Manufacturing saw a decrease of 1,400 jobs, and Trade, Transportation & Utilities dropped by 200 jobs. Since January 2025, Total Nonfarm jobs in North Carolina have risen by 41,900, with the Private sector accounting for 38,200 and Government for 3,700 of these positions. The next update on unemployment rates, detailing county-specific data for January 2026, is scheduled for release on April 16, 2026.
Read More About This
