Reworked NC jobless rate still tops 10 percent

The January rate was 10.2 percent, down slightly from 10.4 percent in December. Before the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised its calculations this week as part of a nationwide benchmark process, the December unemployment rate had been listed as 9.9 percent.

North Carolina's jobless rate was almost 2 percentage points above the national rate of 8.3 percent for January.

The state added about 17,000 non-farm jobs in January, officials said, and about 55,400 jobs during 2011.

"We are encouraged by total job growth since this time last year and the job gains in January," Dale Carroll, deputy secretary of the Department of Commerce, said in a statement. "There were job increases in a majority of the job sectors."

The state unemployment rate in January 2011 was 10.5 percent. The number of unemployed people in North Carolina dropped by more than 10,700 in the past year, to 476,276.

The trade, transportation and utilities sector saw the largest employment jump in January, adding 6,200 jobs. The professional and business services sector added 3,900, manufacturing added 3,100 and financial activities added 2,800.

The leisure and hospitality sector lost 1,200 jobs during the month, while construction lost 1,000 jobs.