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McDowell now No.2 in unemployment

County has 16.5 percent jobless rate

from Staff Reports

Published: June 28, 2009

McDowell County saw an increase in unemployment claims for the month of May, giving the community the second-highest unemployment in the state. The news comes from data released by the N.C. Employment Security Commission last week.
The rising jobless statistics follow the trend statewide.
ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. said his office has paid out nearly $3 billion in unemployment benefits so far this year.
North Carolina's unemployment rate increased to 11.1 percent in May. The increase is slightly lower than the national trend, as the U.S. rate increased by a half of a percentage point, to 9.4 percent.
"While we continue to have job announcements in areas across North Carolina, we are still experiencing some job losses in many job sectors, this also being seen across the country," said Carey.
McDowell's unemployment rate increased by 1.5 percent to 16.5 for the month of May. Of the county's 22,091 workers, 3,639 were unemployed, the ESC data showed.
Only Scotland County experienced higher unemployment in May, at 17.2 percent, only slightly lower than in April.
Eighty-two of North Carolina's 100 counties experienced an unemployment rate increase in May, according to the statistics. Rates decreased in 16 counties and remained the same in two.
The most recent numbers put the county's unemployment rate ahead of neighboring Rutherford County, which saw an improvement in May, falling from 16 percent in April to 15.5 percent for May.
Burke County also experienced a worsening employment market. Their rate rose to 14.9 percent.
Among metropolitan areas, Asheville saw a 0.2 percent rise, up to 9.2 percent unemployment, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro's joblessness rose by 0.5 percent to 15.4.
Currituck County had the state's lowest unemployment rate in May at 6.3 percent, followed by Orange at 6.7 percent, Hyde at 7.1 percent, Gates at 7.7 percent and nearby Watauga at 7.9 percent.