From June 2024 to September 2024, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in North Carolina were 252,538, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 229,777, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 22,761 jobs in the private sector during the third quarter of 2024. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 3,254. (See chart 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job losses

In the third quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 6.1 percent of private-sector employment in North Carolina; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.8 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In North Carolina, contracting establishments lost 181,840 jobs in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 3,577 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 70,698 jobs, an increase of 17,681 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the third quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 5.6 percent of private-sector employment in North Carolina; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In North Carolina, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 181,714 in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 2,698 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 48,063 jobs gained in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 2,705 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 9 of the 11 published industry sectors in North Carolina in the third quarter of 2024. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 12,787 jobs. This was the result of 40,691 gross job gains and 53,478 gross job losses. Education and health services showed a net gain of 3,601 jobs, the largest gain of any sector in the state. North Carolina’s transportation and warehousing industry sector had a net gain of 1,909 jobs.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Fourth Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, North Carolina, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	236,764	261,585	226,681	235,180	229,777	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6
At expanding establishments	190,453	200,690	187,699	184,412	181,714	4.6	4.8	4.5	4.4	4.4
At opening establishments	46,311	60,895	38,982	50,768	48,063	1.1	1.5	0.9	1.2	1.2
Gross job losses	252,527	203,579	226,676	238,434	252,538	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1
At contracting establishments	199,147	175,980	173,549	185,417	181,840	4.8	4.2	4.2	4.4	4.4
At closing establishments	53,380	27,599	53,127	53,017	70,698	1.3	0.7	1.3	1.3	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-15,763	58,006	5	-3,254	-22,761	-0.4	1.4	-0.1	-0.1	-0.5
Construction
Gross job gains	18,133	23,157	18,595	17,524	17,545	6.9	8.7	6.8	6.4	6.5
At expanding establishments	13,886	17,269	15,238	13,598	13,605	5.3	6.5	5.6	5.0	5.0
At opening establishments	4,247	5,888	3,357	3,926	3,940	1.6	2.2	1.2	1.4	1.5
Gross job losses	17,883	13,113	16,552	17,743	19,051	6.9	4.9	6.1	6.5	7.1
At contracting establishments	13,020	10,999	12,044	13,181	12,951	5.0	4.1	4.4	4.8	4.8
At closing establishments	4,863	2,114	4,508	4,562	6,100	1.9	0.8	1.7	1.7	2.3
Net employment change (2)	250	10,044	2,043	-219	-1,506	0.0	3.8	0.7	-0.1	-0.6
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	13,467	14,182	13,525	13,674	11,459	2.9	3.0	2.8	2.9	2.4
At expanding establishments	12,085	12,590	12,384	12,186	10,420	2.6	2.7	2.6	2.6	2.2
At opening establishments	1,382	1,592	1,141	1,488	1,039	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.2
Gross job losses	19,723	14,458	14,028	14,709	15,486	4.2	3.1	3.0	3.1	3.3
At contracting establishments	16,691	13,018	12,212	12,631	12,527	3.6	2.8	2.6	2.7	2.7
At closing establishments	3,032	1,440	1,816	2,078	2,959	0.6	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-6,256	-276	-503	-1,035	-4,027	-1.3	-0.1	-0.2	-0.2	-0.9
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	9,380	10,326	9,667	9,452	8,773	4.5	4.9	4.6	4.6	4.2
At expanding establishments	7,805	7,755	7,511	7,234	7,104	3.7	3.7	3.6	3.5	3.4
At opening establishments	1,575	2,571	2,156	2,218	1,669	0.8	1.2	1.0	1.1	0.8
Gross job losses	10,227	8,173	8,956	9,363	9,678	4.9	3.9	4.2	4.5	4.6
At contracting establishments	7,528	6,943	6,347	7,130	6,486	3.6	3.3	3.0	3.4	3.1
At closing establishments	2,699	1,230	2,609	2,233	3,192	1.3	0.6	1.2	1.1	1.5
Net employment change (2)	-847	2,153	711	89	-905	-0.4	1.0	0.4	0.1	-0.4
Retail trade
Gross job gains	27,004	27,295	25,888	26,145	25,800	5.1	5.2	4.9	4.9	4.9
At expanding establishments	23,606	22,498	22,180	22,194	21,981	4.5	4.3	4.2	4.2	4.2
At opening establishments	3,398	4,797	3,708	3,951	3,819	0.6	0.9	0.7	0.7	0.7
Gross job losses	28,400	26,512	24,053	27,857	28,198	5.4	5.1	4.5	5.3	5.4
At contracting establishments	23,872	23,879	20,148	23,753	23,066	4.5	4.6	3.8	4.5	4.4
At closing establishments	4,528	2,633	3,905	4,104	5,132	0.9	0.5	0.7	0.8	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-1,396	783	1,835	-1,712	-2,398	-0.3	0.1	0.4	-0.4	-0.5
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	8,722	15,092	8,060	8,184	10,865	4.8	8.2	4.4	4.5	6.0
At expanding establishments	6,944	13,047	6,447	6,673	8,204	3.8	7.1	3.5	3.7	4.5
At opening establishments	1,778	2,045	1,613	1,511	2,661	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.8	1.5
Gross job losses	13,681	7,438	12,522	9,271	8,956	7.6	4.1	6.8	5.1	4.9
At contracting establishments	11,960	6,542	11,085	7,574	6,739	6.6	3.6	6.0	4.2	3.7
At closing establishments	1,721	896	1,437	1,697	2,217	1.0	0.5	0.8	0.9	1.2
Net employment change (2)	-4,959	7,654	-4,462	-1,087	1,909	-2.8	4.1	-2.4	-0.6	1.1
Information
Gross job gains	4,332	4,205	4,181	3,596	4,185	5.2	5.0	4.8	4.2	4.9
At expanding establishments	3,188	2,408	3,377	2,672	3,141	3.8	2.9	3.9	3.1	3.7
At opening establishments	1,144	1,797	804	924	1,044	1.4	2.1	0.9	1.1	1.2
Gross job losses	4,766	4,412	3,788	4,236	4,532	5.7	5.2	4.4	4.9	5.3
At contracting establishments	3,292	3,803	2,608	3,137	3,022	3.9	4.5	3.0	3.6	3.5
At closing establishments	1,474	609	1,180	1,099	1,510	1.8	0.7	1.4	1.3	1.8
Net employment change (2)	-434	-207	393	-640	-347	-0.5	-0.2	0.4	-0.7	-0.4
Financial activities
Gross job gains	14,240	15,835	13,009	13,789	13,325	4.7	5.3	4.3	4.5	4.4
At expanding establishments	10,931	11,101	10,537	10,434	10,206	3.6	3.7	3.5	3.4	3.4
At opening establishments	3,309	4,734	2,472	3,355	3,119	1.1	1.6	0.8	1.1	1.0
Gross job losses	14,833	12,409	13,371	12,672	14,596	4.9	4.1	4.4	4.2	4.8
At contracting establishments	10,879	10,373	9,622	8,816	9,846	3.6	3.4	3.2	2.9	3.2
At closing establishments	3,954	2,036	3,749	3,856	4,750	1.3	0.7	1.2	1.3	1.6
Net employment change (2)	-593	3,426	-362	1,117	-1,271	-0.2	1.2	-0.1	0.3	-0.4
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	53,652	53,342	45,263	52,087	50,498	7.2	7.1	6.1	7.0	6.8
At expanding establishments	43,121	38,873	37,037	39,354	39,213	5.8	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.3
At opening establishments	10,531	14,469	8,226	12,733	11,285	1.4	1.9	1.1	1.7	1.5
Gross job losses	54,502	47,423	49,864	51,508	55,189	7.3	6.3	6.6	6.9	7.5
At contracting establishments	41,873	40,564	36,842	40,202	37,665	5.6	5.4	4.9	5.4	5.1
At closing establishments	12,629	6,859	13,022	11,306	17,524	1.7	0.9	1.7	1.5	2.4
Net employment change (2)	-850	5,919	-4,601	579	-4,691	-0.1	0.8	-0.5	0.1	-0.7
Education and health services
Gross job gains	34,219	33,663	31,721	33,654	33,951	5.2	5.1	4.8	5.0	5.0
At expanding establishments	28,200	25,673	27,300	26,367	27,574	4.3	3.9	4.1	3.9	4.1
At opening establishments	6,019	7,990	4,421	7,287	6,377	0.9	1.2	0.7	1.1	0.9
Gross job losses	28,068	24,608	26,914	31,762	30,350	4.3	3.7	4.0	4.7	4.4
At contracting establishments	21,566	20,390	19,443	23,593	20,619	3.3	3.1	2.9	3.5	3.0
At closing establishments	6,502	4,218	7,471	8,169	9,731	1.0	0.6	1.1	1.2	1.4
Net employment change (2)	6,151	9,055	4,807	1,892	3,601	0.9	1.4	0.8	0.3	0.6
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	41,848	49,982	45,688	45,906	40,691	7.9	9.3	8.4	8.5	7.5
At expanding establishments	31,332	39,030	36,623	35,654	30,229	5.9	7.3	6.7	6.6	5.6
At opening establishments	10,516	10,952	9,065	10,252	10,462	2.0	2.0	1.7	1.9	1.9
Gross job losses	48,559	35,706	44,678	47,081	53,478	9.2	6.7	8.2	8.7	9.9
At contracting establishments	39,666	31,498	34,282	36,312	40,516	7.5	5.9	6.3	6.7	7.5
At closing establishments	8,893	4,208	10,396	10,769	12,962	1.7	0.8	1.9	2.0	2.4
Net employment change (2)	-6,711	14,276	1,010	-1,175	-12,787	-1.3	2.6	0.2	-0.2	-2.4
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	9,200	10,609	8,135	9,290	9,197	7.7	8.7	6.6	7.7	7.5
At expanding establishments	7,160	7,420	6,560	6,416	7,030	6.0	6.1	5.3	5.3	5.7
At opening establishments	2,040	3,189	1,575	2,874	2,167	1.7	2.6	1.3	2.4	1.8
Gross job losses	8,810	7,500	9,162	8,598	9,686	7.4	6.2	7.5	7.0	8.0
At contracting establishments	6,303	6,301	6,602	6,275	5,945	5.3	5.2	5.4	5.1	4.9
At closing establishments	2,507	1,199	2,560	2,323	3,741	2.1	1.0	2.1	1.9	3.1
Net employment change (2)	390	3,109	-1,027	692	-489	0.3	2.5	-0.9	0.7	-0.5
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024
United States(1)	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.8
Alabama	6.0	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.9
Alaska	8.5	10.2	10.5	10.2	7.9	10.5	9.9	8.6	9.6	9.7
Arizona	6.8	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	5.7	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.5
Arkansas	5.6	6.2	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8	5.2
California	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6	6.8	6.1
Colorado	5.4	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2	6.7
Connecticut	5.8	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.5	6.2	5.7	5.2	5.6	5.7
Delaware	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.9	6.8	6.5	5.8	5.1	6.5	6.4
District of Columbia	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.6	4.9	6.0	5.0
Florida	6.5	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.7
Georgia	6.1	6.2	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.1
Hawaii	5.3	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.6	6.8	5.0	5.1	5.4	5.0
Idaho	7.2	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.2	7.9	5.8	8.3	7.4	7.6
Illinois	4.8	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.7	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.4
Iowa	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.2	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0
Kansas	5.7	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.3	6.0	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.6
Kentucky	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.4	5.6	5.2	5.0	5.9	5.5
Louisiana	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8
Maine	7.0	7.4	7.2	7.3	6.2	7.8	7.0	6.1	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.3	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.5	6.1
Massachusetts	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8
Michigan	5.2	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.8
Minnesota	3.3	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.1	4.3	6.9	5.7	5.4	5.9
Mississippi	6.2	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7
Missouri	5.6	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.3	5.8	5.8
Montana	7.7	8.8	8.1	7.9	7.3	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6	8.1
Nebraska	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.6	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.6
Nevada	6.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.1	5.6	5.4	6.2	5.7	5.9
New Hampshire	5.8	6.2	6.5	6.1	5.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.7
New Jersey	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.9	5.3	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.8
New Mexico	6.4	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.2	6.8	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.3
New York	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.7
North Carolina	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1
North Dakota	6.6	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.6
Ohio	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.6	5.2	4.8	5.4	5.4
Oklahoma	6.3	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	6.0	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6
Oregon	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.7	6.2	6.1	6.4	6.6
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.1	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1
Rhode Island	6.4	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.2	6.7	6.3	5.7	6.7	6.5
South Carolina	6.6	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	5.7	5.3	6.3	6.4	5.9
South Dakota	6.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	5.9	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.6	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.7	5.5	4.9	5.7	5.8
Texas	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.6	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.3	5.3
Utah	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6	6.1
Vermont	6.4	7.3	7.2	6.6	6.6	7.9	6.6	6.3	7.5	7.3
Virginia	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.8	6.0	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.5
Washington	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.4
West Virginia	6.5	6.5	6.9	6.6	5.8	6.6	5.8	5.7	6.8	6.6
Wisconsin	5.2	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.8	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.4
Wyoming	8.3	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.6	8.2	8.4	8.3	9.0	9.0
Puerto Rico	5.7	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.4	5.3	4.8	4.6	4.9	5.1
Virgin Islands	8.2	6.0	5.6	4.3	4.4	6.8	5.9	4.5	5.1	6.1
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.