NC unemployment rate falls to 4.7 percent

North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell further below 5 percent in July, dropping two-tenths of a percentage point to 4.7 percent as the state continued to add jobs.

When the state’s jobless rate dropped below 5 percent in June, it marked the first time in nearly nine years that it fell below that threshhold.

The decline in July pushed the state’s unemployment rate below the national rate, which was unchanged at 4.9 percent.

North Carolina added 12,000 jobs in July after seasonal adjustments, according to data released Friday by the N.C. Department of Commerce. Over the past 12 months the state has added 94,100 jobs.

The number of people categorized as unemployed across the state fell by 12,953 to 225,934.

The state’s unemployment rate stood at 5.7 percent a year ago.

Local unemployment rates for July are scheduled to be released Aug. 31. The Triangle’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate in June was 4.2 percent.

David Ranii: 919-829-4877, @dranii

This story was originally published August 19, 2016 at 11:20 AM with the headline "NC unemployment rate falls to 4.7 percent."