Blog Entry List

North Carolina’s unemployment rate has increased from a low of 5.3% in February to 5.8% in June.  What does this tell us about the state’s labor market?  This article explores several possible explanations and refutes some common myths about this emerging economic trend.

This past week, LEAD released its Star Jobs, identifying promising occupations for North Carolinians. Star ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), and are assigned based on wages, projected growth rate, and projected job openings.

Three of North Carolina’s metro areas get a lot of attention in the media these days: Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham. However, some of the state’s other cities have also been experiencing growth and improved prosperity over the last decade. So let’s take a look at some of North Carolina’s “other” metro areas in terms of population, job, and wage growth.

The Rural Center has expanded its system for classifying North Carolina’s counties to reflect the growing number of suburbanized counties in our state. This post looks at the Rural Center’s new county distinctions and points to a variety of other definitions used to designate rural areas of North Carolina.

Broadband impacts economic growth by creating jobs, boosting productivity among businesses, and driving increases in household income.

The relationship between where people work and where people live is one of many important factors to understanding your local economy. The U.S. Census Bureau’s OnTheMap tool provides this and other data that is essential for local analysis.

Boosted by growing benefits, the South’s total compensation paid by private sector employers rose in March, but was lowest among regions.

How can we explain increasing wage inequality in North Carolina? This article shows that the inequality trend is being driven not by disparities between you and your boss, but rather between you and workers at other companies. 

The securities industry continues to grow in North Carolina, despite the headwinds of the Great Recession.

Healthcare surpasses manufacturing in North Carolina, mirroring national trends.

For many in North Carolina’s Northwest Prosperity Zone region, slow-going hiking through its peaks and valleys are woven into the fabric of daily life. Its up-and-down recovery from The Great Recession has been no exception.

In the last 20 years, North Carolina’s job opportunities have become more polarized.

Uber has created thousands of jobs in North Carolina, and expects continued job growth over the next few years.

It will soon be summer, and for many, that means traveling to beach towns scattered along the coastline of North Carolina’s Southeast prosperity zone region. There, they will experience a diverse economy that produces more than just the catch of the day.

In many ways, Scotland County experienced a more intense version of the changes occurring in the state during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.