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North Carolina's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate
<br />in October was 9.6 %, down 0.1 percentage points from
<br />September. The decrease in the unemployment rate is due
<br />to discouraged workers dropping out of the labor force,
<br />not employment gains. The state's unemployment rate is
<br />1.3 percentage point lower than it was in October 2009,
<br />but 4.7 percentage points higher than it was at the start of
<br />the recession. In October, the national unemployment
<br />rate was 9.6% and recently released U.S. data has the
<br />national unemployment rate for November at 9.8 %.
<br />A leading indicator of future unemployment rates are initial unemployment benefit claims. New initial
<br />claimants totaled 57,144 in October, an increase of 10,394 from September. Claims are still elevated above
<br />pre- recession levels but have been displaying a downward trend since January of 2009. The top five
<br />occupations of those claiming unemployment for the first time are: 1) Laborers and Freight, Stock, & Material
<br />Movers (hand); 2) Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor - Trailer; 3) Cashiers; 4) Production Workers, All Other; 5)
<br />Helpers of Production Workers. 62% of the workers in the top twenty occupations fall into three major
<br />occupational categories: Construction and Extraction, Production and Transportation & Material Moving.
<br />Unemployment rates' continue a year -long declining trend statewide and for most counties
<br />Unemployment rates are declining for most counties in North Carolina. In October only two counties had
<br />unemployment rates at or above 14 %, Edgecombe and Scotland Counties. Three counties have an
<br />unemployment rate below 6% this month, compared to only two counties below 6% in September of this year.
<br />The counties below 6% this month are Hyde (5.9 %), Orange (5.5 %), and Currituck (4.9 %). Five of the 10
<br />counties with the lowest unemployment rate for October were in the Northeast Partnership ED Region. While
<br />Currituck, Chatham, Hyde, Dare, and Orange counties have been among the top 5 counties in unemployment
<br />for the last five months Camden has moved into the top 5 since September. When looking at unemployed
<br />population totals Mecklenburg County has the largest number of unemployed workers in the state. They make
<br />up nearly 11% of the unemployed population and 10.2% of the total state labor force.
<br />Twelve Month Unemployment Rate by County (November 2009 — October 2010)
<br />Unemployment Rate
<br />6.3% - 7.8% (75% or less of state average)
<br />7.8 %- 10.4% (Below state average)
<br />- 10.4% - 13.0% (Above state average)
<br />- 13.0% - 16.1% (125% or more of state average)
<br />-- Interstate
<br />T H l 1 V a
<br />State's current seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate Is 9.6% 6. - -
<br />Map Created December 2010 1 Source: NC Employment Security Commission. County data is not seasonally adjusted. Data at
<br />the state level used for purposes of comparison is over the same time period as county data, and has been seasonally adjusted. CAROLINA
<br />Policy, Research & Strategic Planning; November 2$qg~ptnber1
<br />1 -1
<br />NC Labor Levels — *— LaborForce
<br />Jan. 2010 - Oct. 2010 —*— Employed
<br />4,700,000
<br />..................-
<br />4,500,000
<br />-•♦..
<br />4,300,000
<br />4,100,000
<br />3,900,000
<br />3,700,000
<br />N. C. Employment
<br />Security Commission, Labor Force Statistics
<br />A leading indicator of future unemployment rates are initial unemployment benefit claims. New initial
<br />claimants totaled 57,144 in October, an increase of 10,394 from September. Claims are still elevated above
<br />pre- recession levels but have been displaying a downward trend since January of 2009. The top five
<br />occupations of those claiming unemployment for the first time are: 1) Laborers and Freight, Stock, & Material
<br />Movers (hand); 2) Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor - Trailer; 3) Cashiers; 4) Production Workers, All Other; 5)
<br />Helpers of Production Workers. 62% of the workers in the top twenty occupations fall into three major
<br />occupational categories: Construction and Extraction, Production and Transportation & Material Moving.
<br />Unemployment rates' continue a year -long declining trend statewide and for most counties
<br />Unemployment rates are declining for most counties in North Carolina. In October only two counties had
<br />unemployment rates at or above 14 %, Edgecombe and Scotland Counties. Three counties have an
<br />unemployment rate below 6% this month, compared to only two counties below 6% in September of this year.
<br />The counties below 6% this month are Hyde (5.9 %), Orange (5.5 %), and Currituck (4.9 %). Five of the 10
<br />counties with the lowest unemployment rate for October were in the Northeast Partnership ED Region. While
<br />Currituck, Chatham, Hyde, Dare, and Orange counties have been among the top 5 counties in unemployment
<br />for the last five months Camden has moved into the top 5 since September. When looking at unemployed
<br />population totals Mecklenburg County has the largest number of unemployed workers in the state. They make
<br />up nearly 11% of the unemployed population and 10.2% of the total state labor force.
<br />Twelve Month Unemployment Rate by County (November 2009 — October 2010)
<br />Unemployment Rate
<br />6.3% - 7.8% (75% or less of state average)
<br />7.8 %- 10.4% (Below state average)
<br />- 10.4% - 13.0% (Above state average)
<br />- 13.0% - 16.1% (125% or more of state average)
<br />-- Interstate
<br />T H l 1 V a
<br />State's current seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate Is 9.6% 6. - -
<br />Map Created December 2010 1 Source: NC Employment Security Commission. County data is not seasonally adjusted. Data at
<br />the state level used for purposes of comparison is over the same time period as county data, and has been seasonally adjusted. CAROLINA
<br />Policy, Research & Strategic Planning; November 2$qg~ptnber1
<br />1 -1
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