Wilmington’s Unemployment Rate Falls to 2.8% in April

Wilmington’s unemployment rate plummeted to a one-year low in April, bucking national and statewide trends, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• M-O-M: The Wilmington unemployment rate fell to 2.8% in April, down from 3.3% in March and the lowest level since April 2023.

• Y-O-Y: The unemployment rate is actually up from the 2.6% reported one year ago.

By The Numbers: Wilmington’s civilian labor force edged up slightly by 83 individuals to 166,388. More significantly, the number of unemployed residents dropped by 13% to 4,734 in the same period.

Contrast & Compare: While Wilmington thrives, North Carolina’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.5% for the fourth consecutive month. Meanwhile, the national rate experienced a slight uptick, rising from 3.8% to 3.9% in March.

Bottom Line: Wilmington’s unemployment rate was second best of the top fifteen metros in the state. So even in a booming state, Wilmington’s labor market is pretty close to the top.