Rockingham unemployment falls slightly -
From staff reports
Published: May 28, 2008
Rockingham County’s unemployment rate dropped from 6.5 percent in March to 6.3 percent in April.
In North Carolina, unemployment rates dropped in 80 of 100 counties, according to the N.C. Employment Security Commission. Counties with rates of 5 percent unemployment or lower increased to 41, from 29 in March.
The lowest unemployment rate was reported in Orange County, at 3.3 percent. Graham and Scotland counties had the highest rate – 9.4 percent.
Rockingham County has 45,310 workers, according to a news release from the ESC. Of that, 2,837 are unemployed.
“Nearly half of North Carolina’s 100 counties are below 5 percent unemployment,” ESC chairman Harry E. Payne Jr. said in the release. “While we are pleased about a large number of counties experiencing a rate decrease, we need to be cautious with the current national economic conditions.
“Higher fuel prices can have an impact on employment. The good news is that North Carolina continues to announce new jobs and business expansions around the state.”
A telling number regarding unemployment involves new claims, which totaled 31,985 in April, and increase of 4,179 over March. Last April, a little more than 26,000 claims were filed.
The statewide unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in April, an 0.2 percent fall from the March numbers but a 0.7 percent increase over the previous year, the news release said. Unemployment rates decreased in 11 of the state’s 14 metro areas.
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