The state’s seasonally adjusted August 2026 unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, decreasing 0.1 of a percentage point from July’s revised rate. The national rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent.
North Carolina’s unemployment rate decreased 0.4 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed decreased 3,085 over the month to 5,049,056 and decreased 47,152 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 4,052 over the month to 182,042 and decreased 22,422 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 10,000 to 5,128,400 in August. Major industries experiencing increases were leisure and hospitality services, 3,200; construction, 2,100; professional and business services, 1,900; trade, transportation, and utilities, 1,700; other services, 1,500; government, 1,200; and manufacturing, 200. Major industries experiencing decreases were information, 700; financial activities, 600; and private education and health services, 500. Mining and logging employment remained unchanged.
Estimates are subject to monthly and annual revisions.
*October 2025 data are unavailable due to the lapse in appropriations.*
Since August 2025, total nonfarm jobs increased 65,600 with the total private sector increasing by 61,000 and government increasing by 4,600. Major industries experiencing increases were professional and business services, 23,300; construction, 17,500; leisure and hospitality services, 16,900; private education and health services, 11,200; government, 4,600; trade, transportation, and utilities, 2,500; other services, 1,700; and financial activities, 1,200. Major industries experiencing decreases over the year were manufacturing, 8,900; information, 4,300; and mining and logging, 100.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, when the county unemployment rates for August 2026 will be released.
This content is sourced from
Mission Health North Carolina
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
