Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 99 of North Carolina’s counties in October and decreased in one. Edgecombe County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.5 percent while Orange County had the lowest at 3.1 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 6.2 percent while Asheville, Durham-Chapel Hill, and Raleigh each had the lowest at 3.3 percent. The October not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.9 percent.
| Month | Counties with Rates 5% or Below | Counties with Rates Between 5% and 10% | Counties with Rates Above 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | 82 | 18 | 0 |
| August (revised) | 92 | 8 | 0 |
When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in 61 counties, increased in 30 counties, and remained unchanged in nine. Twelve of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year, one increased, and two remained unchanged.
The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in October by 2,629 to 4,947,826, while those unemployed increased by 32,875 to 202,689. Since October 2021, the number of workers employed statewide increased 135,671, while those unemployed decreased 6,888.
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, December 16, 2022 when the state unemployment rate for November 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.