RALEIGH -- North Carolina's unemployment rate crept up just slightly in May as the percentage of people losing their jobs outpaced job growth.

The state Commerce Department reported Friday that North Carolina's unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in May, which was two-tenths of a percentage point up from the revised 6.2 percent rate in April. The national unemployment rate during May was 6.3 percent. While the state's labor force increased by nearly 19,000 people, it wasn't enough to offset the percentage of people who lost their jobs. Despite the uptick, North Carolina's unemployment rate is still 1.9 percent lower than it was during the same month in 2013.

Larry Parker Department of Commerce Spokesman says more workers entered the labor force,

"In May the labor force increased by just nearly 19,00 people looking for work. 10,200 found employment while nearly 8,800 did not."