Unemployment rates decreased in 97 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in September, increased in one, and were unchanged in two. When compared to the same month last year, unemployment rates declined in all 100 counties.
North Carolina had 36 counties that were at or below the state’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8.9 percent. Unemployment rates decreased in all 14 of the state’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Rowan County’s rate dropped again in September, to 9.2 percent, from 10.1 in August. In 2011, the unemployment rate in September was 11.1 percent.
Cabarrus County’s rate also went down in September, to 8.4 percent, from 8.8 percent in August. The September 2011 rate was 9.8 percent.
In other counties:
Davidson: The rate dropped 1 percentage point to 9.6, from 10.6 in August. September 2011 was 11.4 percent.
Davie: The rate for September is 7.5 percent, compared to 8.1 in August and 9.7 in September 2011.
Iredell: 9.1 percent in September, compared to 9.8 in August and 11 percent in September 2011.
Stanly: 9.1 percent in September, compared to 9.8 in August and 11.3 in September 2011.
Currituck County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in September at 5.1 percent, and Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 16.1 percent.
North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 8.9 percent in September. This was a .8 of a percentage-point decrease from August’s revised rate of 9.7 percent, and a 1.5 percentage-point decrease over the year.
Rowan, Cabarrus, Davidson and Iredell counties have all paid between $35.4 million and $74.6 million dollars in benefits in the period covering October 2011-September 2012. Davie has paid less, between $1.1 million and $13.1 million; Stanly has also paid less, $13.2 million to $35.4 million.