Key Takeaways

In this year’s report, the tech numbers continued to improve, even as many states experienced job losses during this period. North Carolina continues to strengthen its position and national reputation as a major player in technology. Going forward, job growth in tech is no longer a foregone conclusion, particularly with the advancement of AI, which can automate and augment many knowledge-based jobs. AI presents both an opportunity and a challenge for business as usual—not only within the tech sector, but across the entire state economy. North Carolina will need to be prepared to ensure responsible deployment and develop strategies to prepare the future workforce. In addition, the state should be ready for increased energy demands on the grid as AI-related investments grow.

Some opportunities still exist for improvement and support of the tech sector. Based on the rankings above, North Carolina’s lowest scores were in metrics related to broadband access, diversity in the tech workforce, housing affordability, and patent rates. The slide in rankings for housing-burdened households, cost of living, and adjusted tech sector earnings in this year’s report reveals that the state will need to continue balancing affordability with growth. Continuing efforts to spread tech benefits and job growth to rural areas will also be crucial for maintaining a favorable view of the sector across the state.

As of the writing of this report in December 2025, demand for tech workers has remained relatively flat over the past year. This could impact next year’s metrics and rankings. However, North Carolina is not alone in experiencing a slowdown in the tech economy. Migration data shows that talent continues to choose the state, which should help North Carolina remain competitive as the market continues to tighten.

The report was written by Skylar Elliott Casey and Ted Abernathy of Economic Leadership LLC in December 2025.