Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 99 of North Carolina’s counties in September and increased in one. Warren County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.6 percent while Orange and Buncombe Counties each had the lowest at 2.6 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.5 percent while Asheville and Durham-Chapel Hill each had the lowest at 2.7 percent. The September not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.3 percent.
| Month | Counties with Rates 5% or Below | Counties with Rates Between 5% and 10% | Counties with Rates Above 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | 92 | 8 | 0 |
| August (revised) | 83 | 17 | 0 |
When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in 99 counties and increased in one. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year.
The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in September by 35,919 to 4,951,030, while those unemployed decreased by 29,687 to 169,997. Since September 2021, the number of workers employed statewide increased 174,474, while those unemployed decreased 35,405.
It is important to note that employment estimates are subject to large seasonal patterns; therefore, it is advisable to focus on over-the-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted estimates.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, November 18, 2022 when the state unemployment rate for October 2022 will be released.
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Note to Editors: Supplemental data for this release is now available via a live online dashboard. The PDF version of this supplemetal data has been discontinued, although the PDF attached to this release does contain additional charts and tables for today's data. Contact Commerce Communications for further information on these changes.