Department of Numbers

Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Durham fell 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 7.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.2 percentage points lower than the North Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Durham peaked in October 2009 at 8.3% and is now 0.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.1% in February 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Durham unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
National 8.5% -0.2 -0.9
North Carolina 9.9% -0.1 +0.1
Durham 7.7% -0.1 +0.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Durham, North Carolina, National

Durham, North Carolina monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Durham, North Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Durham peaked in November 2009 at 21,894. There are now 1,460 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 18,447 in March 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,987. Durham employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Durham, North Carolina) is also available.

Unemployed Persons December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
Durham 20,434 -99 +1,488

Number of Unemployed Persons

Durham, North Carolina Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
North Carolina
Unemployment Rate
Durham
Unemployment Rate
Durham
Unemployed
January
2012
8.3%
December
2011
8.5% 9.9% 7.7% 20,434
November
2011
8.7% 10.0% 7.8% 20,533
October
2011
8.9% 10.4% 8.0% 21,021
September
2011
9.0% 10.5% 8.0% 20,890
August
2011
9.1% 10.4% 7.8% 20,347
July
2011
9.1% 10.1% 7.5% 19,605
June
2011
9.1% 9.9% 7.3% 19,187
May
2011
9.0% 9.7% 7.1% 18,654
April
2011
9.0% 9.7% 7.1% 18,523
March
2011
8.9% 9.7% 7.1% 18,447
February
2011
9.0% 9.8% 7.1% 18,583
January
2011
9.1% 9.8% 7.2% 18,823

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.