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Consultant: Rocky Mount's lower labor-force participation driven by demographics and industrial mix, not lower participation within age groups
Summary
An economist told city and partnership leaders that Rocky Mount’s below‑state labor‑force participation is largely explained by a smaller share of prime‑age residents and lower educational attainment, and by an industrial mix concentrated in manufacturing rather than fast‑growing professional and information sectors.
Dr. Flor Mutavi, an economist presenting to Rocky Mount leaders at the briefing, said the city’s lower overall labor‑force participation stems mainly from who lives there and the area’s industry mix, not from a general unwillingness to work.
Mutavi said the metropolitan area’s share of residents aged 25–44 — often called "prime‑age" workers — is about 23% versus roughly 26% for North Carolina. He said Rocky Mount’s overall labor‑force participation rate is about 59.5% compared with about 63% statewide. "It's not because individuals in those age bands actually participate more or less. It's driven by the demographics, by education attainment," Mutavi said.
Why this matters: prime‑age residents and educational attainment strongly affect how many people are available to fill jobs, Mutavi…
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