Brunswick County’s unemployment rate back to more than 10 percent

Brunswick County was one of 81 counties in North Carolina whose unemployment rate increased in November.

After dropping to 9.5 percent in October, Brunswick County’s number climbed back into double digits at 10.3 percent.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce Labor and Economic Analysis Division estimates 5,200 of the county’s 50,341 residents are unemployed.

Statewide, unemployment rates decreased in 13 counties and were unchanged in six counties in November.

But the county’s unemployment rate remained below the November 2011 rate, which reached 11.2 percent.

Year-to-year unemployment rates decreased for 95 of North Carolina’s 100 counties from November 2011 to November 2012.

North Carolina had 34 counties that were at or below the state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 9.0 percent. Unemployment rates increased in 11of 14 of North Carolina’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Neighboring New Hanover County reported an unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, with 9,226 of its 106,786 eligible workers out of work.

Columbus County’s unemployment rate was 11.6, while Pender County reported 10 percent.

North Carolina’s statewide, not seasonally adjusted, unemployment rate was 9.0 percent in November, increasing .2 of a percentage point from October.

From November 2011 to 2012, the state’s unemployment rate decreased 1.1 percent.

Graham County reported the state’s highest unemployment rate at 16.3 percent for November.

Orange County had the lowest unemployment, with a rate of 5.7 percent.

Brian Slattery is a staff writer for The Brunswick Beacon. Reach him at 754-6890 or bslattery@brunswickbeacon.com.