A monthly snapshot of North Carolina's economy.

• Position: NC TREND: Vital signs - Brief article - Statistical table

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYED May 2015 4.48m May 2016 4.62m [up arrow] 3.1% CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE May 2015 4.75m May 2016 4.87m [up arrow] 2.4% UNEMPLOYED May 2015 275,822 May 2016 250,544 [down arrow] (9.1)% COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES HIGHEST Scotland 8.6% Edgecombe 8.1 Wilson 8.1 Graham 7.9 Halifax 7.6 LOWEST Buncombe 3.5% Henderson 3.9 Wake 4.0 Chatham 4.0 Granville 4.0 Note: Table made from bar graph. N.C. statewide rate 5.1% U.S. Rate 4.7% Note: Table made from line graph. Source: N.C. Department of Commerce, Labor & Economic Analysis Division, May 2016 [GRAPHIC OMITTED]

TAXABLE RETAIL SALES (MILLION) May 16 May 15 % change Mecklenburg $1,677.0 $1,545.0 8.5% Wake 1,235.1 1,144.0 8.0 Guilford 588.4 564.0 4.3 Durham 535.2 518.2 3.3 Forsyth 422.1 388.6 8.6 Buncombe 402.5 370.2 8.7...