More than 260,000 jobs are projected to be added in North Carolina between 2024 and 2034, with gains expected in all 16 regional labor markets tracked by LEAD.
Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte and Wilmington are forecast to outpace the statewide growth rate, while western areas including Asheville are expected to recover gradually toward pre-Hurricane Helene trends.
Health Care and Social Assistance is expected to be the main job engine in most regions, especially ambulatory health care services, alongside gains in professional services, finance and hospitality.
Five regions—Pinehurst-Rockingham, Boone-Wilkesboro, Rocky Mount-Wilson, Greensboro and Hickory—are projected to post slight declines in goods-producing jobs, generally by less than 1%.
The projections assume AI will reshape work gradually rather than trigger abrupt job losses, giving workforce planners, schools and job seekers a regional guide to future demand.
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