ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County’s unemployment rate has been hovering around 5% for the last several months, according to information from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Bladen County’s unemployment rate remained in the middle of nearly all of its closest neighboring counties, with Cumberland and Robeson counties having the highest percentages.
Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 92 of North Carolina’s counties in November, increased in four, and remained unchanged in four.
Statewide, Edgecombe County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.3% while Buncombe and Orange counties each had the lowest at 3.0 percent.
All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases.
Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.9 percent while Asheville had the lowest at 3.1 percent.
The Fayetteville metro area, the metropolitan statistical area closest to Bladen County, saw a decrease from 5.9$ in October to 5.7% in November, which is also down from November 2021, when the jobless rate was 5.9%.
The November not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.8 percent.
When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates increased in 66 counties, decreased in 20 counties, and remained unchanged in 14. Eleven of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases over the year, three decreased, and one remained unchanged.
Regional jobless rates
Here are the following unemployment rates for Bladen County’s neighboring counties:
Columbus County: 4.6%, down from October’s 4.7%, but up from 4.1% in September.
Pender County: 3.6%, down from October’s 3.8%, but up slightly from 3.1% in September.
Cumberland County: 5.5%, down from October’s 5.7%, but up from September’s 4.9.
Sampson County: 3.7%, down from October’s 3.8%, but up slightly from 3.3% in September.
Robeson County: 6.1%, down from October’s 6.3%, but up from 5.5% in September.
Labor force
In Bladen County, the number of (not seasonally adjusted) workers in the labor pool decreased by 140 workers, from 13,994 in October to 13,854 in November.
The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in November by 26,268 to 4,922,940, while those unemployed decreased by 9,287 to 193,189. Since November 2021, the number of workers employed statewide has increased by 100,977, while those unemployed increased to 6,359.
Commerce officials stated that it’s important to note that employment estimates are subject to large seasonal patterns; therefore, it is advisable to focus on over-the-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted estimates.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for late January, when the state unemployment rate for December 2022 will be released.
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