Raleigh Reports Decline in Unemployment Rates for February 2026

Unemployment Trends in North Carolina Show Decline in February

In February 2026, North Carolina witnessed a notable shift in unemployment rates across its counties. The latest data reveals that unemployment rates, not adjusted for seasonal variations, dropped in 91 of the state’s counties. Meanwhile, five counties saw an increase, and four remained steady. Hyde County recorded the highest unemployment rate at 10.8 percent, while Camden County boasted the lowest at 3.0 percent. Interestingly, all fifteen of North Carolina’s metropolitan areas experienced a reduction in unemployment rates. Among these, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.3 percent, whereas Raleigh reported the lowest at 3.3 percent. The statewide rate, not seasonally adjusted, stood at 3.8 percent.

Month	Counties with Rates 5% or Below	Counties with Rates Between 5% and 10%	Counties with Rates Above 10%
February	90	9	1
January (revised)	86	13	1

Upon comparing the figures with those from the same month the previous year, 57 counties showed a decrease in unemployment rates, 27 experienced an increase, and 16 remained unchanged. The state’s metropolitan areas also reflected this trend, with six reporting an increase, five a decrease, and four showing no change.

The employment landscape saw positive developments with the number of employed individuals rising by 39,834, bringing the total to 5,076,846. Concurrently, the count of unemployed persons decreased by 11,264 to 203,179. Over the past year, since February 2025, there has been an increase of 19,384 in the employed population, whereas the unemployed population saw a decline of 6,890.

Analysts recommend focusing on year-over-year changes due to the significant seasonal patterns affecting employment estimates, making them more reliable.

The next update on the unemployment figures is anticipated on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, when statistics for March will be disclosed.

Note to Editors: Supplemental data for this release is now available via a live online dashboard. The PDF attached to this release contains additional charts and tables for today’s data. Contact Commerce Communications for further information.