How many jobs were added in North Carolina last month?
Refreshed monthly
North Carolina gained 10,000 jobs in August 2026, ranking it sixth among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state 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 state has averaged about 8,300 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+10K
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
6th
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
August 2026's gain of 10,000 jobs was the second consecutive month of positive job growth in North Carolina. Monthly job growth was up from the 5,700 new jobs in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), North Carolina gained jobs in 48 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 23rd-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+50,300) while job growth was weakest in October 2024 (-19,900).
There were 10,000 more jobs in August 2026 in North Carolina than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which North Carolina sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were accommodation and food services, professional, scientific, and technical services, and construction. Accommodation and food services added 2,700 jobs. Professional, scientific, and technical services gained 2,500 jobs, while construction added 2,100. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were information, administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, and health care and social assistance. Information lost 700 jobs in August 2026, while administrative and support and waste management and remediation services lost 600 jobs and health care and social assistance lost 400 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 400 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in North Carolina (August 2026)
How has North Carolina's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, North Carolina gained an average of 3,325 jobs every month. That's higher than the 2024 average monthly increase of 2,567, and the highest since 2023. The 2025 average ranks as 15th-highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 16,900 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 13,300 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, North Carolina gained an average of 3,300 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 15 metro areas primarily in North Carolina during August 2026 ranged from a loss of 200 jobs in the Rocky Mount, NC area to a gain of 2,800 jobs in the Charlotte, NC area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within North Carolina
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +2,800 | |
| 2. | +1,400 | |
| 3. | +600 | |
| 4. | +400 | |
| 5. | +200 | |
| 6. | +200 | |
| 7. | +100 | |
| 8. | +100 | |
| 9. | +100 | |
| 10. | +0 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
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.
