State's unemployment rate falls to 4.6 percent
The state's unemployment rate dropped to 4.6 percent last month, to its lowest level since April.
Dropping from 4.9 percent in December, North Carolina's unemployment rate in January matched national unemployment for the first time since July, according to the state's Employment Security Commission.
About 4.3 million people were employed in the state last month, as total seasonally adjusted employment grew by more than 8,700 people. About 208,100 people filed for unemployment during January. Overall employment in the state has grown by nearly 108,000 workers since January 2006.
The state will release a breakdown of unemployment, by county, March 21.