Press Releases

The state’s seasonally adjusted August 2022 unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from July’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.7 percent. North Carolina’s unemployment rate decreased 1.3 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 1,375 over the month to 4,944,797 and increased 198,133 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 7,904 over the month to 179,561 and decreased 57,547 over the year.

SunTree Snack Foods will create 94 new jobs in Wayne County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $10.1 million to establish an East Coast manufacturing site in Goldsboro. “SunTree Snacks has made a great decision to establish an East Coast headquarters in Wayne County,” said Governor Cooper. “Our quality of life, affordability, and manufacturing workforce continues to attract businesses from across the globe.”

BIOPHIL Natural Fibers, a manufacturer of organic raw materials, will create 41 new jobs in Robeson County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $10.9 million to locate a new processing operation to Lumberton. “North Carolina is the perfect place for BioPhil as our economy is deeply rooted in agriculture and manufacturing," said Governor Cooper. “With their commitment to sustainability and renewables, we believe this company will find great success in Robeson County.”

Wolfspeed, Inc., a leading manufacturer of Silicon Carbide semiconductors, will create more than 1,800 new jobs in Chatham County by 2030, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will construct a manufacturing campus for the production of Silicon Carbide materials with an investment of approximately $5 billion over the next eight years in the Town of Siler City.

Sunlight Batteries USA Inc., a manufacturer of lithium-ion and other high-performance batteries, will invest $40 million to expand its North Carolina operations into Alamance County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will create more than 130 jobs in its new facility in Mebane.

Live Oak Bank, a digitally-focused bank, will create 204 new jobs in New Hanover County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $25 million in Wilmington to expand its campus and workforce to support the financial needs of American small business owners. “The best recruiters for our state are North Carolina companies,” said Governor Cooper. “Live Oak Bank is expanding here because its leaders know how much our talented workforce and quality of life mean to their success and North Carolina’s.”

Designated North Carolina Main Street and Small Town Main Street communities received more than $439.9 million in local private and public investment, welcomed more than 300 new businesses and 1,900 new jobs to its downtown districts during Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the N.C. Main Street and Rural Planning Center announced today.

State workforce system partners in North Carolina and South Carolina are working together to conduct a pair of events to connect jobseekers with employers from both sides of the border.

Local governments in North Carolina’s rural areas can once again apply for support from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, a unique grant program from the Department of Commerce that helps communities overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division administers the $47 million grant fund.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in July. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.6 percent while Buncombe, Swain, and Chatham Counties each had the lowest at 2.9 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 6.0 percent while Asheville had the lowest at 2.9 percent. The July not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.7 percent.