Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 75 counties in July 2025, increased in 11, and remained unchanged in 14. Edgecombe County had the highest unemployment rate at 5.8 percent while Currituck County had the lowest at 2.7 percent. Fourteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases and one remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.3 percent while Raleigh had the lowest at 3.2 percent. The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.8 percent.
| Month | Counties with Rates 5% or Below | Counties with Rates Between 5% and 10% | Counties with Rates Above 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| July | 91 | 9 | 0 |
| June (revised) | 90 | 10 | 0 |
When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in 89 counties, increased in seven, and remained unchanged in four. Fourteen metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year and one increased.
The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in July by 29,896 to 5,124,369, while those unemployed decreased by 7,525 to 202,827. Since July 2024, the number of workers employed statewide increased 10,561, while those unemployed decreased 14,366.
It is important to note that employment estimates are subject to large seasonal patterns; therefore, it is advisable to focus on over-the-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted estimates.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, September 19, 2025 when the statewide unemployment rate for August 2025 will be released.
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Note to Editors: Supplemental data for this release is now available via a live online dashboard. The PDF attached to this release does contain additional charts and tables for today's data. Contact Commerce Communications for further information .