Department of Numbers

Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Durham rose 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points lower than the North Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Durham peaked in April 2020 at 10.9% and is now 7.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.9% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Durham 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
Durham 3.1% +0.1 0.0
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: 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 April 2020 at 30,909. There are now 21,061 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,288 in September 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 560. Durham employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Durham, North Carolina) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Durham 9,848 +84 -14

Number of Unemployed Persons

Durham, North Carolina Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
North Carolina
Unemployment Rate
Durham
Unemployment Rate
Durham
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.8% 3.1% 9,848
December
2022
3.5% 3.8% 3.0% 9,764
November
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.0% 9,746
October
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.0% 9,517
September
2022
3.5% 3.9% 2.9% 9,288
August
2022
3.7% 3.9% 2.9% 9,343
July
2022
3.5% 3.7% 2.9% 9,396
June
2022
3.6% 3.6% 3.0% 9,542
May
2022
3.6% 3.4% 3.0% 9,463
April
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.0% 9,390
March
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.0% 9,347

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.