Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — Iredell County’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.2 percent in November, according to the latest data from the N.C. Department of Commerce.

Iredell has a labor force of 96,991 workers. In November, a total of 3,114 individuals in the county were classified as unemployed.

The county’s unemployment rate is down 0.20 percent from November of 2022.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 39 of North Carolina’s counties in November 2023, decreased in 17, and remained unchanged in 44. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 5.9 percent while Buncombe and Swain Counties each had the lowest at 2.6 percent.

Five of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases, two decreased, and eight remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount each had the highest rate at 4.6 percent while Asheville had the lowest at 2.8 percent. The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.4 percent.

When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in 89 counties, increased in five, and remained unchanged in six. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year.

The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in November by 27,699 to 5,086,500, while those unemployed increased by 402 to 177,244. Since November 2022, the number of workers employed statewide increased 126,461, while those unemployed decreased 7,217.