Triangle unemployment rate dips to 7.7 percent
The jobless rate declines in all of North Carolina's major metropolitan areas in December. Statewide unemployment rate is 9.7 percent.
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The rate was 7.9 percent in November.
Overall employment total fell by 300, to 499,600 in Raleigh-Cary.
The loss of 800 construction, 400 government and 600 in services offset a jump of 800 in trade, transportation and utilities employment and an increase of 300 in professional and business services.
Raleigh-Cary's economy added a net of 200 jobs over the previous December.
Employment in professional and business services in Raleigh-Cary surged by 3,600, a 4.3 percent increase. Trade, transportation and utilities fell by 1,700.
In Durham-Chapel Hill, employment fell by 400 from November, to 287,400. That is 3,100 higher than a year ago, a 1.1 percent improvement.
Government led the year-over-year job growth at 4,000.
Statewide data released by the Employment Security Commission showed that unemployment declined in most countries and in all the 14 major metropolitan areas,
Unemployment statewide was 9.7 percent. The number of people working declined by 15,685, to just over 4 million, but the unemployment total also fell by more than 14,000, to 430,539. People no longer seeking employment or not receiving jobless benefits are not counted among unemployed.
Orange County had the state's lowest unemployment rate at 5.8 percent.
Unemployment rates in the metropolitan statistical areas for December:
- Asheville — 7.9 percent, down from 8.1 percent in November.
- Burlington — 10.1 percent, down from 10.5 percent.
- Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill NC-SC — 10.7 percent, down from 11 percent.
- Durham-Chapel Hill — 6.9 percent, down from 7.2 percent.
- Fayetteville — 9 percent, down from 9.3 percent.
- Goldsboro — 8.2 percent, down from 8.5 percent.
- Greensboro-High Point — 10.2 percent, down from 10.6 percent.
- Greenville — 9.5 percent, down from 9.7 percent.
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton — 12.4 percent, down from 12.8 percent.
- Jacksonville — 7.8 percent, down from 7.9 percent
- Raleigh-Cary — 7.8 percent, down from 8.2 percent.
- Rocky Mount — 12.6 percent, down from 12.9 percent.
- Wilmington — 9.9 percent, down from 10 percent.
- Winston-Salem — 9.2 percent, down from 9.4 percent.
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