The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

August 30, 2010

Jobless rates decrease in 86 counties

Edgecombe third highest

Associated Press

RALEIGH — Unemployment rates decreased in 86 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in July, including Edgecombe, according to statistics released Friday by the state’s Employment Security Commission.

The rates increased in six counties and remained the same in 8.

Even with the decrease from 15.1 to 14.5 percent, Edgecombe County had the third highest jobless rate in the state, behind only Rutherford County at 14.6 percent and Scotland County, which had the highest at 16.2 percent.

Currituck County again had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in July, at 4.5 percent followed by Hyde at 6.0 percent, Dare at 6.3 percent Chatham and Orange at 6.5.

“Unemployment rates dropped in the majority of the state’s 100 counties in July,” said ESC Chairman Lynn R. Holes. “However, over half of our counties had unemployment rates over 10 percent. Local communities continue to be challenged by the current economic conditions. Our staff across the state continues to provide assistance to those seeking unemployment benefits and those seeking employment opportunities.”

North Carolina had 46 counties that were at or below the state’s unadjusted unemployment rate of 9.9 percent.

Unemployment rates also decreased in all 14 of the state’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (Metros) over the previous month. The Rocky Mount Metro (Nash and Edgecombe counties) had the highest unemployment rate in July at 12.8 percent.

Each of Edgecombe’s neighboring counties had decreases in July. Wilson County decreased from 12.8 to 12.4 percent; Martin and Pitt counties decreased 0.3 percent each with Martin from 10.5 to 10.2 percent and Pitt from 10.1 to 9.8 percent. Halifax and Nash each went down 0.2 percent, Halifax from 12.6 to 12.4 percent; and Nash from 12.2 to 12 percent.

The number of workers employed (not-seasonally adjusted) increased in July by 5,508 workers, to 4,092,068.

The number of people unemployed decreased, by 13,654. The number of unemployed people in July was 449,402 workers, compared with 463,056 in June.

Edgecombe County has a labor force of 24,371 and lists 3,540 as unemployed.

Edgecombe received $37,427,526 in unemployment benefits from August 2009 until July of this year.

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