By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
Rowan County’s unemployment edged up to 6 percent for the month of November, and Rowan was among the top five counties receiving the highest amounts in unemployment insurance benefits.
The state paid the most in unemployment benefits to Mecklenburg County, $7.4 million; Wake, $4.6 million; Guilford, $3.4 million; Forsyth, $2.5 million; and Rowan, $2.4 million.
Rowan had the 16th highest unemployment rate in North Carolina.
Its unemployment increased from 5.9 percent in October to 6 percent in November, according to the Employment Security Commission.
The county had a labor force of 71,273 in November, of which 4,244 were unemployed.
The statewide unemployment rate is 4.6 percent.
November jobless rates in the five counties touching Rowan were:
– Cabarrus, 4.3 percent, down from 4.4 percent in October.
– Davidson, 5.3 percent, down from 5.4 percent.
– Davie, 5.1 percent, up from 5 percent.
– Iredell, 4.6 percent, the same as October.
– Stanly, 4.9 percent, down from 5.1 percent.
Unemployment rates in 61 of 100 N.C. counties stayed the same or declined in November.
Scotland County had the highest jobless rate in November at 9.6 percent; Orange County, the lowest, at 3 percent.