Special to Iredell Free News

Iredell County’s unemployment dropped to 2.9 percent in December, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce.

Iredell has a labor force of 93,505 individuals. In December 2,755 residents were classified as unemployed, a 0.6 percent decrease from November.

Iredell’s unemployment rate is the 24th lowest among the state’s 100 counties.

The downward trend in Iredell mirrors what is happening across the Tar Heel State as unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 96 counties in December and increased in four.

Tyrell County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, while Buncombe, Greene, Orange, and Watauga Counties each had the lowest at 2.5 percent.

All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.2 percent, while Asheville 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 increased in 47 counties, decreased in 30, and remained unchanged in 23. Five of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases over the year, four decreased, and six remained unchanged.

The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in December by 2,607 to 4,926,333, while those unemployed decreased by 29,503 to 163,346. Since December 2021, the number of workers employed statewide increased 93,639, while those unemployed increased 2,676.