(The Center Square) – In the year since economy took center stage of a presidential voting cycle on North Carolina’s longest ballot, one thing remains mostly unchanged: unemployment.
The state Commerce Department on Tuesday said the seasonally adjusted May rate is 3.7%, the 10th consecutive month at that rate. It was 3.6% in May, June and July of last year.
The national rate of 4.2% is identical to the previous two, up from 4.0% in January. In 2024 between May and December, it was never lower than 4.0% (May) or higher than 4.2% (July, August, November).
The Commerce Department says nonfarm jobs have risen by 67,900 in the last 12 months, including 13,300 in government. The other leaders among industries were private education and health services (18,100); professional and business services (15,500); and trade, transportation and utilities (13,200).
There are 5,092,894 people employed, the Commerce Department says, and 196,576 unemployed. Those not employed and not seeking work would not be included in the figures. North Carolina is home to an estimated 11 million people, ninth largest state in the nation.
Economy and jobs were a significant campaign point a year ago. North Carolinians went to the ballot box to help elect a president; 14 members of the U.S. House of Representatives; a governor and nine other executive state offices known as the Council of State; all 50 members of the state Senate; and all 120 members of the state House of Representatives.
In context, not all of the agendas driving those campaigns have had time to be fully implemented.
