RALEIGH — Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 74 of North Carolina’s counties in February, increased in 10, and remained unchanged in 16, according to figures released Wednesday by the N.C. Department of Commerce.
Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 14.9 percent, while Buncombe County had the lowest at 3.5 percent.
Bladen County’s rate is 6.2 percent. Other southeastern rates are Brunswick 6.4, Columbus 5.9, Duplin 5.1, Pender 4.7, Robeson 6.7 and Sampson 4.7.
Eleven of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases while four remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount at 6.8 percent had the highest rate and Asheville had the lowest rate at 3.7 percent. The February not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 4.6 percent.
Counties with rates at 5 percent or below: 55
Counties with rates between 5 percent and 10 percent: 42
Counties with rates at 10 percent or above:3
When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates
decreased in 97 counties, increased in two, and remained unchanged in one. All 15 metro areas
experienced rate decreases over the year.
The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in February by
44,983 to 4,750,064, while those unemployed decreased 2,927 to 227,582. Since February 2017,
the number of workers employed statewide increased 90,915, while those unemployed decreased
17,547.
It is important to note that employment estimates are subject to large seasonal patterns;
therefore, it is advisable to focus on year-over-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted
estimates.
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