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23 <br /> Table 2. Relative Performance of the North Carolina Economy. <br /> 1997-2010 2010-2014 2015 2016 <br /> annual average annual average <br /> NC US NC US NC US NC US <br /> Real GDP growth 2.5% 2.1% 1.3% 2.0% 3.4% 2.2% 3.5% 2.4% <br /> rate <br /> Real GDP growth 0.8% 1.1% 0.2% 1.2% 2.7% 1.4% 2.7% 1.5% <br /> rate per capita <br /> Headline 6.0% 5.8% 8.2% 8.0% 5.5% 5.0% 5.1% 4.7% <br /> unemployment <br /> rate <br /> Labor force 1.1% 0.9% 0.06% 0.04% 3.2% 0.6% 3.0% 0.7% <br /> growth rate <br /> Household 0.6% 0.5% 1.4% 1.4% 3.1% 1.4% 2.9% 1.3% <br /> employment <br /> growth rate <br /> Payroll jobs 0.4% 0.4% 1.9% 1.8% 2.2% 1.9% 2.1% 1.7% <br /> growth rate <br /> Sources: U.S. Dept.of Commerce; author's forecasts <br /> labor force. The fact that the labor force grew faster than employment in North Carolina <br /> explains the rise in the state jobless rate during some months in 2015. <br /> Figure 1 shows the performance of the North Carolina economy and the national <br /> economy on the broadest economic indicator- gross domestic product(GDP). The actual <br /> quarterly rates are shown with the solid lines, and the trends in the rates are depicted by the <br /> dotted lines. There is a definite pattern to North Carolina's growth relative to the nation. First, <br /> the two are connected-analysis shows North Carolina's and the U.S's growth rates move <br /> together two-thirds of the time. Said, another way, two-thirds of North Carolina's growth is <br /> linked to national growth. Second,North Carolina's movement through the business cycle is <br /> 10 <br />