December County Unemployment Rates For North Carolina Released, Bladen At 12.6 Percent
 
RALEIGH — Unemployment rates increased in 93 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in December. Rates decreased in four counties and remained the same in three.

“Our focus is helping existing and new employers grow jobs in North Carolina,” said N.C. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll. “Assisting our customers with finding work and helping them through programs at our DES offices and JobLink Career Centers statewide remains our priority.”

North Carolina had 37 counties that were at or below the state’s unadjusted unemployment rate of 9.8 percent. Rates increased in 13 of the 14 state’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

The number of workers employed (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in December by 32,021 to 4,038,091. The number of people unemployed increased 12,412 in December to 440,022, compared to 427,610 in November.

Orange County has the state’s lowest unemployment rate in December at 6.1 percent. Meanwhile, Graham County has the highest employment rate at 17.5 percent.

It is important to note that employment estimates are subject to large seasonal patterns and therefore it is advisable to focus on the over-the-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted series. Bladen had a work force of 15,111 in December with 1,900 unemployed for an unemployment rate of 12.6 per cent. Other southeastern North Carolina counties also showed double-digit unemployment figures….Columbus 12.9 percent, Robeson 12.7 percent and Brunswick 11.9 percent.