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BLS lists North Carolina’s unemployment rate at 3.4 percent for September 2026 (preliminary), and its metro rates for the month after that run from 3.1 percent in Raleigh-Cary to 4.6 percent in Fayetteville.
- State Rate3.4%September 2026, preliminary
- Lowest Metro3.1%Raleigh-Cary
- Highest Metro4.6%Fayetteville
- Metros Shown8from the BLS table
- Raleigh-Cary, NCAugust 20263.1%
- Asheville, NCAugust 20263.1%
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NCAugust 20263.3%
- Wilmington, NCAugust 20263.5%
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCAugust 20263.7%
- Winston-Salem, NCAugust 20263.7%
- Greensboro-High Point, NCAugust 20264.0%
- Fayetteville, NCAugust 20264.6%
Source: BLS metro area unemployment table. The state rate and the metro rates are for different months as BLS printed them.
All Rates
| Area | Rate | Month | Preliminary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina (Statewide) | 3.4% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 3.1% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Asheville, NC | 3.1% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 3.3% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Wilmington, NC | 3.5% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 3.7% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 3.7% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 4.0% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Fayetteville, NC | 4.6% | August 2026 | Yes | BLS |
Preliminary figures are revised by BLS in later months.
What We Could Not Confirm
- The state rate and the metro rates are for different months, as BLS printed them; compare them with care.
- BLS rates for metros not on its metro table are not shown here.
- All rates are preliminary and BLS revises them in later months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the unemployment rate measure?
The BLS share of the labor force without a job and looking for one. It does not measure wages or how many jobs are open.
Sources
Read on October 27, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “North Carolina Jobs and Unemployment by Metro”, itsnorthcarolina.com/living/jobs-and-unemployment/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.