The Job Market in the Battleground of Battlegrounds: The North Carolina Suburbs

Urban counties tend to vote for Democrats. Rural counties tend to vote for Republicans. Suburban counties are usually the battleground. What is the jobs picture in these three sets of counties in North Carolina, particularly the suburbs, which are the battleground of this battleground state?  How well has Trump done compared to Obama, even before the pandemic? As it stands, it is no contest.

Job gains/loss per month (NC total)

• Obama 2^nd term: 8,284/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 5,904/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -5,363/month
• North Carolinians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 220,493
• North Carolinians unemployed in August: 327,981

Job gains/loss per month (NC urban counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 3,103/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 2,113/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -981/month
• North Carolinians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 47,771
• North Carolinians unemployed in August: 79,703

Job gains/loss per month (suburban counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 4,078/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 3,033/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -3,156/month
• North Carolinians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 103,895
• North Carolinians unemployed in August: 160,064

Job gains/loss per month (rural counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 1,104/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 757/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic -1,226/month
• North Carolinians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 68,827
• North Carolinians unemployed in August: 88,214