Press Releases

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 45 of North Carolina’s counties in December, increased in 25, and remained unchanged in 30. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, while Buncombe County had the lowest at 2.5 percent. Ten of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases, one increased, and four remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville had the highest rate at 4.4 percent and Asheville had the lowest rate at 2.7 percent. The December not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.3 percent.

Community and economic development leaders from across the state will gather for the 2020 North Carolina Main Street Conference March 10-12. Organized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its N.C. Main Street and Rural Planning Center, the conference will convene in New Bern to explore downtown revitalization and economic development strategies.

North Carolina wrapped up 2019 with production companies spending more than $167 million in direct in-state expenses, the most money spent on television and film projects in the last five years. Combined, the projects created 11,820 job opportunities for North Carolina’s highly-skilled film professionals.

Two workforce incentive programs managed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce reached higher benchmarks last year, indicating more people found jobs thanks to the financial support these programs provide to North Carolina employers.

The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, decreasing 0.1 of a percentage point from November’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 3.5 percent.

Pactiv Corporation, a food packaging manufacturer and distributor, will create 25 new jobs in Guilford County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest a minimum of $8 million to expand their current facility in Greensboro. “Companies like Pactiv choose to expand in North Carolina because our state has the right ingredients for success: the infrastructure and workforce to help grow their business,” said Governor Cooper.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), a global healthcare and biopharmaceutical company, will invest over $470 million and create more than 460 new jobs in Durham, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The project will bring a new state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing facility to North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. "Life science companies like Lilly continue to choose North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “Our exceptional workforce draws global companies as we continue to grow North Carolina into a worldwide hub for the biotechnology industry.”

The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center selected Graham, Manteo, Mebane, Murphy, Pilot Mountain and Zebulon for the Center’s Downtown Associate Community Program, Secretary of Commerce Anthony M. Copeland announced today. 

North Carolina jumps forward two places nationally in an overall measure of innovation capacity, according to the 2019 Tracking Innovation report released today by the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology & Innovation.  The report also found the number of innovation-oriented establishments in North Carolina increased by twice the national rate and that the state has seen impressive gains in the number of people engaged in engineering and other innovation-oriented occupations.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that the Finish Line Grants program has issued more than 3,000 grants and $2 million since the program was announced in July 2018. The Finish Line Grants program helps students stay on track to complete their degree or credential when they face unexpected financial emergencies that might otherwise cause them to drop out. Gov. Cooper made the announcement at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in Charlotte, joined by CPCC President Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, CharlotteWorks President and CEO Danielle Frazier, and several Finish Line Grants recipients.