RALEIGH — The state’s seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, remaining unchanged from January’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.2 of a percentage point to 5.5 percent.
North Carolina’s February 2015 unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 30,562 over the month to 4,429,049, and increased 94,203 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 174 over the month to 248,014, and declined 53,370 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 16,800 to 4,221,500 in February. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Education & Health Services at 7,400, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 7,300; Construction, 3,900; Information, 1,200; Financial Activities, 600; and Professional & Business Services, 200. Major industries experiencing decreases were Government, 2,000; Other Services, 900; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 700; Manufacturing, 100; and Mining & Logging, 100.
Since February 2014, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 134,600 with the Total Private sector growing by 137,100 and Government decreasing by 2,500. The largest over-the-year increase of major industries was Professional & Business Services at 36,400, followed by Leisure & Hospitality Services, 20,300; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 19,300; Education & Health Services, 18,400; Construction, 15,500; Manufacturing, 13,000; Other Services, 6,100; Financial Activities, 5,200; and Information, 3,000. Major industries experiencing decreases over the year were Government, 2,500; and Mining & Logging, 100.
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