Press Releases

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in June. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 11.5 percent, while Duplin had the lowest at 5.4 percent. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced decreases. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville had the highest rate at 10.0 percent and New Bern had the lowest at 6.7 percent. The June not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 7.9 percent.

The state’s seasonally adjusted June unemployment rate was 7.6 percent, decreasing 5.2 points from May’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 2.2 percentage points to 11.1 percent. North Carolina’s June 2020 unemployment rate increased 3.6 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 227,498 over the month to 4,428,221 and decreased 444,125 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 252,047 over the month to 363,465 and increased 160,976 over the year.

Governor Roy Cooper introduced the new NCcareers.org today, an integrated career information system that offers North Carolinians ways to explore careers and job opportunities. Governor Cooper praised the portal earlier today's during video remarks at the annual Career & Technical Education Conference. “North Carolinians need resources to navigate the quickly changing job market,” Governor Cooper said. “The new NCcareers.org helps people research the education and training options that lead them to find good, high paying jobs available right now across our state.”

The N.C. Main Street Center & Rural Planning Center at the N.C. Department of Commerce announced that 48 North Carolina communities have been designated as a 2020 Accredited Main Street America™ program. Accredited status is Main Street America’s highest tier of recognition, signifying a demonstrated commitment to comprehensive commercial district revitalization and showcasing a proven track record of successfully applying the Main Street Approach.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Centene Corporation, a Fortune 50 provider of managed care services for public and private health plans, will create an East Coast regional headquarters and technology hub in Charlotte. This move will bring 3,237 new jobs to North Carolina and an investment of $1,034,900,790 by 2032. Centene’s 3,237-job commitment makes the company’s new Mecklenburg County campus the largest job creation project in the 18-year history of the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 65 of North Carolina’s counties in May, decreased in 34, and remained unchanged in one. Swain County had the highest unemployment rate at 19.7 percent, while Bertie and Chowan Counties each had the lowest at 8.1 percent. Nine of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases, five decreased, and one remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Asheville had the highest rate at 16.1 percent and Goldsboro had the lowest at 10.1 percent. The May not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 12.7 percent.

The state’s seasonally adjusted May unemployment rate was 12.9 percent, remaining unchanged from April’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 1.4 percentage points to 13.3 percent. North Carolina’s May 2020 unemployment rate increased 8.9 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 118,154 over the month to 4,200,388 and decreased 662,968 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 16,021 over the month to 621,713 and increased 417,511 over the year.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved three grant requests to local governments totaling $2,825,000, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 264 jobs, 250 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $114 million in private investment.  

Global packaging maker Serioplast US LLC will establish production operations in Red Springs in a project that will create 46 new jobs in Robeson County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company, which manufacturers rigid plastic packaging for a wide variety of consumer goods, plans to invest $9.42 million in its new North Carolina presence. “New jobs like these demonstrate that North Carolina has a strong workforce and is open for business,” Governor Cooper said. “This investment by Serioplast shows that our state remains is a good fit for global companies.”

The North Carolina Department of Commerce has launched a comprehensive project to assess the state’s inventory of businesses, organizations, and physical infrastructure best positioned to promote offshore wind development in North Carolina.  The move is the latest step in Governor Roy Cooper’s far-reaching commitment to build a clean energy economy to fight climate change and grow clean-energy jobs in North Carolina.