Asheville, North Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Asheville fell 0.1 percentage points in March 2012 to 7.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.9 percentage points lower than the North Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Asheville peaked in December 2009 at 9.3% and is now 1.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.7% in April 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Asheville unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.2%	-0.1	-0.7
North Carolina	9.7%	-0.2	-0.7
Asheville	7.8%	-0.1	0.0

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2012 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Asheville, North Carolina, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Asheville, North Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Asheville peaked in December 2009 at 19,268. There are now 2,242 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 15,914 in April 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,112. Asheville employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Asheville, North Carolina) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
Asheville	17,026	-30	+986

Number of Unemployed Persons

Asheville, North Carolina Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	North Carolina Unemployment Rate	Asheville Unemployment Rate	Asheville Unemployed
April 2012	8.1%	9.4%	—	—
March 2012	8.2%	9.7%	7.8%	17,026
February 2012	8.3%	9.9%	7.9%	17,056
January 2012	8.3%	10.2%	8.0%	16,926
December 2011	8.5%	10.4%	8.1%	16,687
November 2011	8.7%	10.4%	8.2%	16,892
October 2011	8.9%	10.6%	8.5%	17,472
September 2011	9.0%	10.7%	8.5%	17,557
August 2011	9.1%	10.7%	8.3%	17,127
July 2011	9.1%	10.7%	8.0%	16,555
June 2011	9.1%	10.6%	7.9%	16,243
May 2011	9.0%	10.5%	7.7%	15,928
April 2011	9.0%	10.4%	7.7%	15,914