NC unemployment rate dips below national average in December

North Carolina's unemployment rate in December was a six-year low 5.5 percent, while the national rate sits at 5.6 percent. The state rate has been falling since September.

The last time the North Carolina rate was below the national average was last April.

Employers added better than 15,000 people to their rolls in the final month of 2014, and the number of people listed as unemployed fell by 15,843, to 255,510.

The state's labor force – the number of people employed plus those actively looking for work – fell by 14,560 in December, to 4,619, 532.

Construction, trade, transportation and utilities, professional and health services and leisure and hospitality services saw big gains during the month, while manufacturing, education and health services and government saw modest losses.

Private employers added 16,000 jobs in the month.

Gov. Pat McCrory said Tuesday that the latest job numbers are a positive sign for the state.

“The latest report released today continues to show that North Carolina is headed in the right direction when it comes to creating jobs and rebuilding the economy,” McCrory said in a statement. “While we are seeing more and more positive news on our economy, we must continue making the tough decisions that will move our state forward in a positive direction.”