News & Media

How The Charlotte Region Added More Jobs Than all But One US Metro Area In 2025

By Chase Jordan, The Charlotte Observer

The Charlotte region ranked second in the nation for total job growth last year, trailing only New York City, according to new federal data. Employers in the Queen City area added 37,600 jobs in 2025, according to the report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the New York City region added more total positions (48,400), Charlotte significantly outpaced the nation’s largest metro in terms of growth rate.

Among metropolitan areas with populations exceeding 1 million, Charlotte saw a 2.7% annual increase, dwarfing New York’s 0.5% gain. These were for nonfarm payroll jobs. Charlotte was one of only five major metro areas to record significant employment increases. The Philadelphia region ranked third for total gains, with 36,400 jobs, while Salt Lake City added 15,300. This regional surge comes as the broader national labor market shows signs of cooling.

The national unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.1% over the past year, with 255 out of 387 metro areas reporting higher jobless rates. While much of the country faced stagnant hiring, Charlotte bucked the trend by continuing to secure major corporate investments. Anchored by Mecklenburg County, the metro area comprises 10 counties in North Carolina and four in South Carolina.

Anchored by Mecklenburg County, the metro area comprises 10 counties in North Carolina and four in South Carolina.

Charlotte Job Growth: Top 10 U.S. Metros

In 2025, the Charlotte region created more jobs than the majority of large U.S. metro areas, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here is how the Charlotte region ranks in the top 10.

 
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia 37,600
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 28,500
Columbus, Ohio 13,800
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 14,200
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands 14,800
New York-Newark-Jersey City 48,400
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington 36,400
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler 21,700
Salt Lake City-Murray 15,300
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater 14,400
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

Charlotte region job growth fueled by major employers Last year, the region welcomed several high-profile expansions, including Scout Motors, which is projected to create more than 1,200 jobs over the next five years. Additionally, Daimler Truck North America is adding more than 270 positions to its regional operations. Chuck McShane, senior director of market analytics for CoStar Group/Homes.com, attributed the trend to a magnet effect, where businesses and residents follow talent. “While population and job growth are slowing throughout the country, Charlotte is becoming a magnet,” McShane said. “I’ve been saying Charlotte’s taking a bigger slice of a smaller pie.” McShane described it as a cycle where the addition of high-paying office jobs triggers a secondary surge in other sectors, including housing, construction, retail, and hospitality. This is reflected in the local real estate market; Charlotte consistently ranks in the top three nationally for office leasing and absorption, rivaling much larger hubs like New York and Dallas. “Charlotte is definitely punching above its weight class,” McShane added.

Newcomers help spur on Charlotte job growth

The cornerstone of this expansion is a steady influx of new residents. Recent U.S. Census Bureau data showed that North Carolina led the nation in domestic migration from July 2024 through July 2025, with a net gain of more than 84,000 residents from other states. While former boom towns in Florida and Texas have begun to struggle with rising costs, the Carolinas have maintained a sweet spot of relative value and high quality of life, according to McShane. “I really put it down to population growth more than anything else,” McShane said. “As markets like Florida and Texas have slowed a little bit, the Carolinas have continued to grow, and Charlotte’s benefited from that.”

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