Rowan County’s February unemployment rate of 11 percent remains higher than the state rate of 10.1 percent, but has decreased slightly from January’s rate of 11.4 percent.
Unemployment rates fell in 84 counties of North Carolina’s 100 counties in February. Rates increased in 10 counties and were unchanged in six. Unemployment rates declined in 81 counties when compared to the same month last year.
Rowan’s February 2011 rate was 12.2 percent.
In Cabarrus County, the unemployment rate is unchanged from January and remains at 9.7 percent. The 2011 rate for February was 10.7 percent.
The rate in other counties surrounding Rowan includes:
• Davidson — 11 percent for February, the same as Rowan, and 11.4 for January. The February 2011 rate was 12.2.
• Davie — 9.8 percent for February, down from 10.3 in January. The February 2011 rate was 10.9.
• Iredell — 10.7 percent for February; 11.1 for January; 11.9 in February 2011.
• Stanly — 10.7 percent for February; 11 for January; 11.9 in February 2011.
Between March 2011 and February 2012, Rowan County paid out $53,456,677 in unemployment benefits.
North Carolina had 34 counties that were at or below the state’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 10.1 percent. Unemployment rates decreased in 13 of the 14 Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
The number of workers employed (not seasonally adjusted) increased in February by 17,939 to 4,184,386 and those unemployed decreased 13,965 to 472,573. Since February 2011, the number unemployed decreased 27,787 and the number employed increased 82,956.
Orange County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in February at 6.3 percent. Graham County had the highest unemployment rate at 20.7 percent.