Rocky Mount, North Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rocky Mount rose 0.7 percentage points in May 2020 to 14.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points higher than the North Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Rocky Mount peaked in March 2010 at 14.5% and is now 0.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.8% in December 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 9.2 percentage points. You can also compare Rocky Mount unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	13.3%	-1.4	+9.7
North Carolina	12.8%	-0.1	+8.8
Rocky Mount	14.0%	+0.7	+8.7

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2020 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Rocky Mount, North Carolina, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Rocky Mount, North Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Rocky Mount peaked in March 2010 at 10,483. There are now 1,682 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,078 in December 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 5,723. Rocky Mount employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rocky Mount, North Carolina) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Rocky Mount	8,801	+862	+5,351

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rocky Mount, North Carolina Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	North Carolina Unemployment Rate	Rocky Mount Unemployment Rate	Rocky Mount Unemployed
June 2020	11.1%	7.6%	—	—
May 2020	13.3%	12.8%	14.0%	8,801
April 2020	14.7%	12.9%	13.3%	7,939
March 2020	4.4%	4.3%	5.9%	3,730
February 2020	3.5%	3.6%	4.8%	3,079
January 2020	3.6%	3.6%	4.9%	3,162
December 2019	3.5%	3.6%	4.8%	3,078
November 2019	3.5%	3.6%	4.9%	3,140
October 2019	3.6%	3.7%	5.0%	3,209
September 2019	3.5%	3.7%	5.1%	3,274
August 2019	3.7%	3.8%	5.1%	3,332
July 2019	3.7%	3.9%	5.2%	3,379