Topics Related to LEAD Feed

Rise of the Mega Counties: How Wake and Mecklenburg Are Reshaping the Economic Geography of NC

The central counties of the Raleigh and Charlotte metro areas (Wake and Mecklenburg) now account for 30 percent of all workers employed in North Carolina, up from 22 percent two decades ago. This article shows how shifts in the regional distribution of employment have helped bolster overall wages in North Carolina and illustrate the changing economy of the state

“Where Are the Workers?”: Assessing Labor Market Mismatch Using the Beveridge Curve

A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the number of U.S. job openings near a 13-year high. This good news is offset by continued evidence of a “mismatch” between unemployed job seekers and available jobs at the national level. In this post, I explain how the relationship between unemployment and job vacancy rates (the “Beveridge curve”) can help us determine whether a mismatch is also evident in North Carolina’s labor market.

From Textiles to Text Files: The Changing Composition of NC Manufacturing

The recent growth of North Carolina manufacturing production has resulted in The Tar Heel State having the fourth largest manufacturing economy in the U.S.

Meeting Expectations: How to Tell A ‘Good’ Jobs Number From ‘Bad’

How can individuals tell for themselves if North Carolina is producing an adequate number of new jobs? The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta provides an excellent web-based tool that allows us to estimate how much job growth, over how many months, is needed in North Carolina in order to bring our unemployment rate down to pre-Recession levels. However, these estimates can vary depending on the assumptions that we plug into the application.

This Thanksgiving, Raise a Fork to NC Farmers

North Carolina is a major contributor to the traditional foods that you'll most likely enjoy at your Thanksgiving Day meal.

Back to School: The Decline in NC's Youth Labor Force Participation Rate

The percentage of young North Carolinians at work or seeking employment has declined substantially over the past 13 years. This article reveals that most of this decline is in fact attributable to higher levels of school enrollment. How should this affect our interpretation of North Carolina's unemployment rate? And what might this mean for the earnings prospects of the state's youngest workers?

Sources of Uncertainty in the Unemployment Rate

We use economic statistics every day in order to gauge the state of the marketplace. However, the reality depicted by many of these data points is obscured by the uncertainty inherent in data estimation. This article focuses on sources of error in the unemployment rate and explains how readers should interpret these data.

Breaking Out Is Hard To Do: How NC Is Divided into Regions

Problem: Since North Carolina is a complex state to study, how can we best understand its labor markets, economic development, and other social phenomena?

Solution: By dividing the state into regions, of course.

Rethinking “9 to 5”: Varying Work Hours in NC

The early 21st century has seen increases in the percentage of employed North Carolinians whose working hours vary from week to week. This article digs a little deeper to find out who these workers are and discusses the potential implications for North Carolina’s labor market

Getting to Know the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program

It's the most comprehensive data set available for monthly employment and quarterly wages of industries, especially at the local level — which is why you should know about the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program.