However, much of the job creation statewide has been in low-wage jobs, such as retail, leisure and hospitality.

The left-leaning N.C. Justice Center directly questions McCrory’s claims in the title — “Don’t call it a comeback” — of its annual State of Working North Carolina report that’s always timed for Labor Day weekend. The subtitle is “State policy choices have violated the promise of hard work for North Carolinians.”

“This has been a historically slow recovery, and policy coming out of Raleigh has done nothing to change that fact,” said Patrick McHugh, an economist analyst for the Budget & Tax Center.

“Most working North Carolinians know that their wages aren’t growing but their bills are, so it’s strange to hear leaders in Raleigh talk about how great the economy is.”

The center said its report “demonstrates clear evidence that low taxes, low regulation and lax labor standards largely do not lead to better economic outcomes, nor address the challenges facing North Carolina.”

The McCrory campaign disputed the report's findings.