A monthly snapshot of North Carolina's economy.

• Position: NC TREND: Vital signs - Statistical table

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYED Dec 2015 4.51m [up arrow] Dec 2016 4.67m 3.4% CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE Dec 2015 4.78m [up arrow] Dec 2016 4.92m 2.9% UNEMPLOYED Dec 2015 268,432 [down arrow] Dec 2016 251,607 (6.3)% HIGHEST Hyde 11.6% Tyrrell 10.3 Scotland 8.7 Dare 8.3 Edgecombe 8.2 LOWEST Buncombe 3.7 % Orange 4.0 Wake 4.0 Alexander 4.1 Henderson 4.1 Note: Table made from bar graph. Caption: CAROLINAS INDEX The Carolinas Index is an Equal Weighted Index composed of the 75 largest companies in the Carolinas based on market value.

TAXABLE RETAIL SALES (MILLION) Dec 16 15-Dec % change Mecklenburg $1,737.4 $1,590.2 9.3% Wake 1,294.4 1,140.8 13.5 Guilford 609.7 543.2 12.3 Durham 570.6 523.8 8.9 Forsyth 449.1 398.2 12.8 Buncombe 429.0 394.5 8.7 New Hanover 354.9 305.3 16.2...