Rowan County’s unemployment rate increased in January, along with the rates in 97 other counties, according to the state Department of Commerce.

North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, 5.4 percent, did not change from December to January. But it’s unadjusted rate went from 5 percent to 5.9 percent.

The county figures are unadjusted.

Rowan County, due to a large drop in the estimated labor force and an increase in the estimate of unemployed people, saw its rate go from a revised figure of 5 percent in December to 6.2 percent in January.

In December, the size of the county’s labor force was estimated at 66,726, with 3,473 people out of work. For January, the numbers were 62,675 and 3,863.

Often, unemployment rates increase in January due to the end of the holiday-shopping season resulting in many temporary workers being let go.

Even with the jump in the rate, Rowan County’s rate is still 0.8 percentage points below the January 2014 mark.

All of Rowan’s neighboring counties saw their rates go up, too. In fact the only counties in the state to see a decrease in unemployment in January were Granville and Jones.

The national unemployment rate in January was 5.7 percent, and it was 5.5 percent in February.

Contact Reporter David Purtell at 704-797-4264.