The Triangle's unemployment rate dropped from 8.8 percent in March to 8.6 percent in April.
This morning, the N.C. Employment Security Commission reported that the employment rate went down in 99 of the state's 100 counties, with the only exception being Wilson County. The figures reported by the state are not seasonally adjusted, but The News & Observer reports figures that have been adjusted by Wells Fargo in Charlotte.
Wells Fargo Senior Economist Mark Vitner said the seasonally adjusted figures give a more accurate representation of job growth. The nonseasonally adjusted numbers from the state showed the Triangle rate dropping from 8.7 percent to 8.1 percent.
"We’re making headway," he said. "We’re adding jobs and we think we’re well on our way. ... The unemployment rate always declines from March to April. We have a lot of economic activity that picks up in the spring. As the days get longer and there’s more sunlight, more building activity takes place. You can clean up after any damage that happened in the winter. Spring break happens so hiring picks up at hotels and restaurants. Baseball starts."
Indeed, the Triangle has seen some increase in areas like construction. Some retailers, including CVS and Walgreens are expanding, and the number of new homes started in the Triangle jumped by 74 percent in the first quarter compared with the first quarter of 2009, according to research firm Metrostudy.
