December unemployment rates up

Unemployment rates increased in 86 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in December, according to statistics released today by the state’s Employment Security Commission. Rates decreased in nine counties, and remained the same in five.

“This recession continues to affect North Carolina’s economy,” said ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. “Virtually every major job sector has been impacted. The ESC continues to work hard in providing many services to the citizens of North Carolina. Whether it be job search assistance or the issuing of unemployment benefits to those who are eligible, the ESC remains committed to the citizens of our state.”

North Carolina had 44 counties which were at or below the state’s unadjusted unemployment rate of 10.9 percent. Rates increased in all 14 of the state’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Total county employment (not-seasonally adjusted) decreased in December by 48,924 workers, to 3,999,788. Not-seasonally adjusted unemployment increased, by 8,774 workers. The unemployment total in December was 491,578 workers, compared with 482,804 in November.

Orange County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in December, at 6.2 percent.

Meanwhile, Graham County had the highest unemployment rate, at 17.6 percent.
The five counties receiving the highest amount in regular unemployment insurance benefits in December were: Mecklenburg, $22.3 million; Wake, $17.7 million; Guilford, $10.6 million; Forsyth, $6.9 million; and Gaston, $6.1 million. In December, $213.5 million in regular UI benefits was paid to 218,772 individuals statewide, compared to $218.1 million to 205,202 individuals in November.

Unemployment rates in the metropolitan statistical areas for December were:
Asheville — 8.8 percent, up from 8.6 percent in November.
Burlington — 12.1 percent, up from 11.8 percent.
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord NC-SC — 12.1 percent, up from 11.9 percent.
Durham-Chapel Hill — 7.7 percent, up from 7.6 percent.
Fayetteville — 9.3 percent, up from 9.1 percent.
Goldsboro — 9.2 percent, up from 9.0 percent.
Greensboro-High Point — 11.4 percent, up from 11.2 percent.
Greenville — 10.1 percent, up from 9.9 percent.
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton — 14.8 percent, up from 14.4 percent.
Jacksonville — 8.2 percent, up from 8.1 percent.
Raleigh-Cary — 8.7 percent, up from 8.6 percent.
Rocky Mount — 13.9 percent, up from 13.5 percent..
Wilmington — 10.6 percent, up from 10.2 percent.
Winston-Salem — 10 percent, up from 9.8 percent.

County Labor Force Employment Unemployment Rate
NEW HANOVER 104,324 94,248 10,076 9.7
BRUNSWICK 48,947 42,862 6,085 12.4
PENDER 23,854 21,214 2,640 11.1
COLUMBUS 24,497 21,125 3,372 13.8
BLADEN 15,272 13,329 1,943 12.7

INFORMANTION FROM A NEWS RELEASE SENT TO THE WWAY NEWSCHANNEL 3 NEWSROOM…