How many jobs were lost in Durham, NC area last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
It lost 200 jobs in January 2026. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ state and local employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area has averaged about 662 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
-200
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
The Durham, NC area job loss of 200 in January 2026 swung from a gain of 600 jobs in December 2025.
During the latest five-year period (February 2021 to January 2026), the Durham, NC area gained jobs in 43 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 11th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in July 2021 (+3,900) while job growth was weakest in October 2025 (-2,200).
There were 200 fewer jobs in January 2026 in Durham, NC area
Monthly change in nonfarm employment in the Durham, NC area
How does the Durham, NC area job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2026, the Durham, NC area has lost an average of 242 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2025 average monthly decrease of 192, and the lowest since 2020. The 2026 average ranks as third-worst in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 11,000 every month in 2009 to a gain of 11,700 every month in 2023.
In 2025, the Durham, NC area lost an average of 192 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs in the Durham, NC area, seasonally adjusted
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
