Unemployment Inches Up a Bit in May

Unemployment rates in 79 N.C. counties rose during May, according to ESC Chairman Parker Chessonth. The overall state unemployment rate is still relatively low at 3.3 percent in May. "Overall, North Carolina's employment picture remains quite healthy," Chesson said. "We have 59,000 more people at work now than a year ago." Tyrrell and Vance counties had the highest unemployment rates at 10.1 percent each. Orange County had the state's lowest unemployment rate in May at 1.1 percent.

The unemployment rates for the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) for May compared with April were:
* Asheville, 2.2 percent, up from 2.0 percent
* Charlotte/Gastonia/Rock Hill, NC/SC, 2.8 percent, up from 2.3 percent
* Fayetteville, 3.8 percent, up from 3.3 percent
* Goldsboro, 3.6 percent, up from 3.2 percent
* Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, 2.5 percent, up from 2.1 percent
* Greenville, 4.4 percent, up from 3.8 percent
* Hickory/Morganton/Lenoir, 1.7 percent, unchanged
* Jacksonville, 3.1 percent, up from 2.7 percent
* Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, 1.6 percent, up from 1.3 percent
* Rocky Mount, 5.3 percent, up from 4.5 percent
* Wilmington, 3.5 percent, up from 2.9 percent

Data for each of the 100 counties is listed below:
County by county labor force estimates for May   SOURCE: Employment Security Commission
County Labor
Force		 Number
Employed		 Number
Unemployed		 Jobless
Rate		 County Labor
Force		 Number
Employed		 Number
Unemployed		 Jobless
Rate
STATEWIDE 3936100 3813700 122400 3.1 
ALAMANCE 66930 65420 1510 2.3  JOHNSTON 60120 58870 1250 2.1 
ALEXANDER 16800 16500 300 1.8  JONES 4450 4260 190 4.3 
ALLEGHANY 5700 5540 160 2.8  LEE 26240 25250 990 3.8 
ANSON 10660 10080 580 5.4  LENOIR 29490 27950 1540 5.2 
ASHE 11260 10800 460 4.1  LINCOLN 32320 31390 930 2.9 
AVERY 7690 7460 230 3.0  MACON 13490 13150 340 2.5 
BEAUFORT 19620 18460 1160 5.9  MADISON 9050 8800 250 2.8 
BERTIE 9220 8420 800 8.7  MARTIN 11310 10440 870 7.7 
BLADEN 19750 18800 950 4.8  MCDOWELL 19790 19130 660 3.3 
BRUNSWICK 32160 30990 1170 3.6  MECKLENBURG 369340 360630 8710 2.4 
BUNCOMBE 102300 100080 2220 2.2  MITCHELL 6850 6490 360 5.3 
BURKE 42340 41380 960 2.3  MONTGOMERY 11670 11300 370 3.2 
CABARRUS 66830 65370 1460 2.2  MOORE 29440 28580 860 2.9 
CALDWELL 39790 39200 590 1.5  NASH 43030 41130 1900 4.4 
CAMDEN 3130 3080 50 1.6  NEW HANOVER 80330 77610 2720 3.4 
CARTERET 29010 28140 870 3.0  NORTHAMPTON 8140 7660 480 5.9 
CASWELL 12720 12390 330 2.6  ONSLOW 47770 46280 1490 3.1 
CATAWBA 73150 72010 1140 1.6  ORANGE 64860 64170 690 1.1 
CHATHAM 26920 26400 520 1.9  PAMLICO 5430 5290 140 2.6 
CHEROKEE 11400 10730 670 5.9  PASQUOTANK 14700 14280 420 2.9 
CHOWAN 6530 6360 170 2.6  PENDER 16460 15800 660 4.0 
CLAY 4210 4040 170 4.0  PERQUIMANS 4680 4530 150 3.2 
CLEVELAND 44950 43000 1950 4.3  PERSON 17380 16690 690 4.0 
COLUMBUS 23170 21090 2080 9.0  PITT 64930 62050 2880 4.4 
CRAVEN 36180 34920 1260 3.5  POLK 7800 7570 230 2.9 
CUMBERLAND 117160 112730 4430 3.8  RANDOLPH 71730 69780 1950 2.7 
CURRITUCK 8970 8850 120 1.3  RICHMOND 18360 17360 1000 5.4 
DARE 17950 17630 320 1.8  ROBESON 54860 50390 4470 8.1 
DAVIDSON 80390 78520 1870 2.3  ROCKINGHAM 44280 42170 2110 4.8 
DAVIE 17880 17370 510 2.9  ROWAN 66360 64580 1780 2.7 
DUPLIN 21850 20770 1080 4.9  RUTHERFORD 29340 27270 2070 7.1 
DURHAM 118520 116110 2410 2.0  SAMPSON 23600 22700 900 3.8 
EDGECOMBE 24700 23040 1660 6.7  SCOTLAND 17180 16030 1150 6.7 
FORSYTH 155880 152050 3830 2.5  STANLY 26700 25710 990 3.7 
FRANKLIN 23820 23210 610 2.6  STOKES 23570 22860 710 3.0 
GASTON 102490 97690 4800 4.7  SURRY 34580 33400 1180 3.4 
GATES 4660 4530 130 2.8  SWAIN 5700 5210 490 8.6 
GRAHAM 3640 3440 200 5.5  TRANSYLVANIA 11100 10940 160 1.4 
GRANVILLE 22980 22070 910 4.0  TYRRELL 1880 1690 190 10.1 
GREENE 9040 8600 440 4.9  UNION 60620 59350 1270 2.1 
GUILFORD 222430 216780 5650 2.5  VANCE 19920 17910 2010 10.1 
HALIFAX 22250 20790 1460 6.6  WAKE 352500 347710 4790 1.4 
HARNETT 36480 35360 1120 3.1  WARREN 7090 6520 570 8.0 
HAYWOOD 23660 23000 660 2.8  WASHINGTON 6010 5720 290 4.8 
HENDERSON 36770 36080 690 1.9  WATAUGA 22310 22030 280 1.3 
HERTFORD 10380 9880 500 4.8  WAYNE 48930 47160 1770 3.6 
HOKE 11890 10880 1010 8.5  WILKES 32950 32150 800 2.4 
HYDE 3150 3030 120 3.8  WILSON 35850 32810 3040 8.5 
IREDELL 61750 60250 1500 2.4  YADKIN 18480 18090 390 2.1 
JACKSON 15890 15500 390 2.5  YANCEY 6260 6090 170 2.7 

 

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