Department of Numbers

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Charlotte fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the North Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Charlotte peaked in April 2020 at 13.9% and is now 10.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.4% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Charlotte unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
North Carolina 3.8% 0.0 +0.2
Charlotte 3.5% 0.0 -0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Charlotte, North Carolina, National

Charlotte, North Carolina monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Charlotte, North Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Charlotte peaked in April 2020 at 177,545. There are now 128,154 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 47,755 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,636.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Charlotte 49,391 -381 -3,231

Number of Unemployed Persons

Charlotte, North Carolina Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
North Carolina
Unemployment Rate
Charlotte
Unemployment Rate
Charlotte
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.8% 3.5% 49,391
December
2022
3.5% 3.8% 3.5% 49,772
November
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.5% 50,076
October
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.5% 49,402
September
2022
3.5% 3.9% 3.4% 48,054
August
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.4% 47,924
July
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.4% 47,755
June
2022
3.6% 3.6% 3.4% 48,442
May
2022
3.6% 3.4% 3.5% 48,546
April
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.5% 48,928
March
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.6% 49,621

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.