By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
Rowan County’s unemployment rate remained above 13 percent in June, according to the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina.
Rowan’s June jobless rate of 13.1 percent was actually lower than 27 other N.C. counties.
It also represented an improvement from May’s 13.6 percent, which was the highest mark since the early 1980s.
Of a total labor force of 73,311 in Rowan, 9,582 were considered unemployed in June.
North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate was 11.2 percent. The jobless rate went up in 56 counties from May to June.
From July 2008 through June of this year, the state paid unemployment insurance benefits of more than $64.5 million in Rowan County.
Rowan ranked 10th in the state in the amount of unemployment insurance paid over the 2008-2009 fiscal year behind, in order, Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford, Forsyth, Gaston, Catawba, Iredell, Davidson and Cumberland counties.
Statewide, some $3.1 billion in unemployment insurance was paid out in 2008-2009.
Here are the June jobless rates in the counties touching Rowan and their increase or decrease from May:
– Cabarrus County ó 11.7 percent in June, up from 11.4 percent.
– Davidson County ó 13.3 percent, down from 13.4 percent.
– Davie County ó 12.4 percent, down from 12.6 percent.
– Iredell County, 12.8 percent, same as in May.
– Stanly County ó 12.4 percent, same as in May.