01/06/2010 07:27 AM

Unemployment rate increases in 60% of N.C. counties

By: News 14 Carolina Web Staff

RALEIGH – The latest numbers from the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina show that 60 of the state’s 100 counties saw an increase in unemployment for November, the most recent month on record.

Though the overall unemployment rate for North Carolina was reported at 10.8 percent in mid-December, a number of counties are seeing rates higher than that. Edgecombe County, located east of Raleigh, is currently seeing the highest rate in the state at 16.6 percent, while Orange County had the lowest rate at 6.3 percent.

Rates Closer To Home:

Charlotte-area

• Mecklenburg Co. – 11 percent (down 0.1 percent)
• Gaston Co. – 13.4 percent (up 0.1 percent)
• Iredell Co. – 12.6 percent (down 0.1 percent)
• Cabarrus Co. – 11.7 percent (up 0.1 percent)
• Union Co. – 10.4 percent (up 0.2 percent)

Triad

• Forsyth Co. – 9.7 percent (up 0.1 percent)
• Guilford Co. – 11 percent (down 0.2 percent)
• Alamance Co. – 11.9 percent (up 0.1 percent)
• Rockingham Co. – 12.1 percent (up 0.4 percent)
• Randolph Co. – 11.4 percent (up 0.2 percent)

Triangle

• Wake Co. – 8.3 percent (no change)
• Durham Co. – 7.9 percent (down 0.1 percent)
• Orange Co. – 6.3 percent (up 0.1 percent)
• Johnston Co. – 9.6 percent (up 0.1 percent)
• Cumberland Co. – 9.2 percent (up 0.1 percent)

Coastal

• New Hanover Co. – 9.5 percent (up 0.3 percent)
• Pender Co. – 10.9 percent (down 0.1 percent)
• Onslow Co. – 8.2 percent (up 0.2 percent)
• Carteret Co. – 8.8 percent (up 0.5 percent)
• Craven Co. – 10.4 percent (up 0.1 percent)