Unemployment highest in metro areas
By Melinda Harrell
Published in News on November 5, 2017 3:05 AM
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Goldsboro is on the upper side of unemployment rates in the state compared to other metropolitan areas, according to the recently releases employment figures from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
The city's rate is at 4.5 percent as of the end of September.
Of the 15 metropolitan areas in the state, Goldsboro comes in at No. 12.
In comparison, Rocky Mount has the highest metropolitan unemployment rate in the state at 5.8 percent and Asheville has the lowest at 3.8 percent.
The city's rate is on par with the overall Wayne County unemployment rate of 4.5 percent.
The Department of Commerce numbers indicate the county has 52,776 able-bodied workers with 2,731 of those people unemployed.
Wayne County has one of highest unemployment rate compared to its neighboring counties with Sampson County's rate at 4.2 percent; Greene County's rate at 4.1 percent; Duplin County's rate at 4.3 percent; Johnston County's rate at 3.7 percent; and Lenior County's rate at 4.1 percent.
Wilson County, however, has one of the highest unemployment numbers in the state with a 6.3 percent rate.
Though the county rate remains above the state average, it has shown a steady decrease over a two-year period.
In September of 2016, the county's rate was 5.7 percent and then dropped to 4.5 percent this year.
It also declined between the months of August and September with August's rate coming in at 5 percent. The month marks a .5 percent drop over a 30-day period.
Goldsboro's rate mirrors the drop of unemployment rate that the county experienced as well.
Statewide, 99 counties showed a decrease in rates in September and compared to rates in 2016, all counties had a decrease.
The county with the highest unemployment rate is Scotland County with a 6.9 percent unemployment rate.
The county with the lowest is Buncombe County with 3.1 percent.
According to the Department of Commerce, the state's rates are decreasing at a steady pace, with it currently being .1 percent less than the national unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.
Though the steady decline of the states unemployment numbers are optimistic, the states neighboring North Carolina have lower rates with Virginia at 3.7 percent, Tennessee at 3 percent and South Carolina at 3.9 percent.
he October rates will be released by the Department of Commerce on Nov. 17, but a brief snapshot of the numbers for October show an increase of 28,399 people gaining employment across the state and an increase in retail sales and construction.