Rowan County’s unemployment rate saw a slight decrease in March and was similar to the rest of the state and nation as a whole.

Rowan’s rate dropped 0.1 percentage points to 5.6 in March with an estimated 3,550 people unemployed in the county — down from over 3,800 in January.

Statewide, 97 out of 100 counties saw a drop in the unemployment rate in March and the state’s unemployment rate was 5.4 percent. The national unemployment rate in March was 5.5 percent, the same as in February.

Neighboring counties Cabarrus and Davie saw their rates drop below 5 percent while Davidson, Iredell and Stanly counties had unemployment rates just above 5 percent.

The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metropolitan area had an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent in March, down from 6.3 percent a year ago.

Contact Reporter David Purtell at 704-797-4264.