Beaufort County’s unemployment rate decreased from February to March, as it did in the state’s other 99 counties, according to data compiled by the Labor & Economics Analysis Division of the N.C. Department of Commerce.

The county’s unemployment rate fell from 6.6 percent in February to 6.2 percent in March, according to LEAD figures. The state’s unemployment rate declined from 5.7 percent in February to 5.4 percent in March.

Beaufort County’s unemployment rate (factoring in the number of reported jobless people) for March ranked 65^th in the state, the same ranking it held in February, according to LEAD figures.

In March, 20 of the state’s 100 counties had unemployment rates of 5 percent or lower, 77 counties had jobless rates between 5 percent and 10 percent and three counties had jobless rates of 10 percent or higher. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate in March at 13.3 percent, with Buncombe County having the lowest jobless rate in March at 4.2 percent, according to LEAD figures.

“Hyde’s high unemployment appears to be more the result of a slow recovery from the economic challenges stemming from the last recession — when annual average unemployment went from 5.7% in 2007 to 13.4% in 2011. The rate has since declined (9.1% on average for 2015), but has not recovered at the same pace of the State (5.7% in 2015),’ wrote David Whitmer, director of the Northeastern Workforce Development Board, in an email.

He continued: “In that time however, the number of non-farm payroll jobs has increased in Hyde County. The average annual number of jobs in Hyde increased by 181 or 9% between 2007 and 2014. However, a large portion of workers living in Hyde County commute outside of the county for employment. For this reason, it is important to consider the regional strength of the economy. Average annual jobs in the Northeast Region (prosperity zone) have declined by 11,285 or 6% since 2007. The manufacturing and construction industries across North Carolina were heavily impacted by the economic recession. These two sectors represent 61% of the regional job losses since 2007.”

Whitmer expects Hyde County’s employment level to increase during the summer months.

Beaufort County’s workforce in March totaled 20,412 people. Of that number, 1,258 people were unable to secure employment and 19,154 people were on the job, according to LEAD data. In Beaufort County, 20,105 people were in the workforce during February, with 18,783 of those people on the job. That left 1,322 people unable to secure employment, according to LEAD figures.

Hyde County’s unemployment rate fell from 15.7 percent in February, when it had the highest unemployment rate in the state, to 13.3 percent in March, according to LEAD information. The county’s unemployment rate in March 2015 was at 12.5 percent.

Martin County’s jobless rate fell from 7.7 percent in February to 7.1 percent in March, according to LEAD date. In March 2015, the county’s unemployment rate was at 7 percent.

Pitt County’s unemployment rate for February was at 5.9 percent, dropping to 5.6 percent in March, according to LEAD figures. The county’s jobless rate in March 2015 was at 5.6 percent.

Washington County’s jobless rate in March was at 7.9 percent, down from 9.5 percent in February, according to LEAD information. The county’s unemployment rate in March 2015 was at 9 percent.

The Washington statistical area’s jobless rate in March was 6.2 percent, down from 6.6 percent in the previous month. The Greenville-Washington combined statistical area’s jobless rate decreased from 6 percent in February to 5.7 percent in March.

unchanged from January’s rate.

Of the 15 metropolitan statistical areas, the five of the six MSAs east of Interstate 95, the Greensboro/High Point MSA and the Fayetteville MSA had the highest unemployment rates in March, all above or at the state average of 5.4 percent, according to LEAD figures. The Wilmington MSA’s jobless rate for March was 5.2 percent.

The jobless figures released by the Commerce Department do not include unemployed people whose unemployment insurance benefits expired and who are not listed as unemployed. Factor in those people and a county’s true jobless rate is higher.