Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — Iredell County’s unemployment rate dropped to 3 percent in December, down 0.2 percent from the previous month.

According to the N.C. Department of Commerce, the county’s workforce is comprised of 91,149 individuals. A total 2,692 people are currently classified as unemployed in Iredell.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 91 of North Carolina’s counties in December, increased in four, and remained unchanged in five.

Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 6.9 percent, while Orange County had the lowest at 2.2 percent.

All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.0 percent while Durham-Chapel Hill had the lowest at 2.5 percent. The December not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.2 percent.

When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in all 100 counties. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year.

The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in December by 13,301 to 4,909,662, while those unemployed decreased by 9,893 to 160,692. Since December 2020, the number of workers employed statewide increased 199,479, while those unemployed decreased 146,441.