Bladen County unemployment rate dropped three-tenths in March from a month ago, according to figures released Wednesday by the N.C. Department of Commerce, and was down four-tenths from a year ago.
Bladen County’s unemployment rate, which was not seasonally adjusted, was listed at 5.0 percent. That was down from 5.3 percent in February and 5.4 last March, the state figures show.
In March, Bladen County had 725 people unemployed out of a labor force of 14,631, according to the Commerce Department.
Statewide, the unemployment rates, which were not seasonally adjusted, decreased in 81 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in March, increased in three counties and remained unchanged in 16, according to the report.
Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate in North Carolina in March at 11.5 percent, while Buncombe County had the lowest at 3.2 percent. Thirteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases and two remained unchanged. Fayetteville’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent, which was down from 5.4 percent in February, but up slightly from 5.1 percent last March.
Some southeastern North Carolina counties and their rates were: Brunswick 5.2, Columbus 5.3, Cumberland 5.2, Duplin 4.5, New Hanover 3.8, Pender 4.2, Robeson 5.8, and Sampson 4.1.
The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in March by 34,495 to
4,858,751, while those unemployed decreased 4,855 to 206,445, according to the report. Since March 2018, the number of workers employed statewide increased 72,828, while those unemployed increased 5,360.
The next report is scheduled to be released May 17 with the April unemployement rates.
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