By By MIKE VOSS
mike@wdnweb.com
Contributing Editor
Beaufort County’s unemployment rate fell from 10.7 percent in November 2010 to 10.4 percent in December 2010, a drop of 0.3 percent, according to figures released by the N.C. Employment Security Commission.
Even though the county’s jobless rate fell in December, it was yet another month the rate was at 10 percent or higher. In October, the county’s jobless rate fell below 10 percent for the first time in two years when it went to 9.8 percent.
Unemployment rates decreased in 66 of the state’s 100 counties in December, according to the ESC data. Jobless rates increased in 27 counties and remained the same in seven counties. The state’s jobless rate for December was 9.7 percent, a drop of 0.2 percent from November’s jobless rate of 9.9 percent.
Patrick Oswalt, manager of the ESC office in Washington, reiterated what he’s been saying each month for at least a year: don’t expect Beaufort County’s jobless rate to fluctuate more than a percentage point in the coming months.
“Just pull out my old quotes and use them,” he said.
Oswalt said the decrease in the jobless rate from November to December can be attributed partly to seasonal employment for the Christmas season.
“I think the weather was part of it, too,” Oswalt said.
Beaufort County’s work force totaled 20,178 people in December. Of that number, 18,076 people were employed, leaving 2,102 people unable to secure employment, according to the ESC. Beaufort County’s work force totaled 20,600 people in November. Of that number, 18,406 were employed, leaving 2,194 people unable to find work.
For the second month in a row, Hyde County saw its unemployment rate increase. The county’s jobless rate for December was 11.5 percent, an increase of 3.2 percent over November’s jobless rate of 8.3 percent, according to the ESC.
Hyde County’s work force for December totaled 2,672 people. Out of that work force, 2,364 people were working, leaving 308 people unable to find work. Hyde County’s work force totaled 2,858 people in November, with 2,626 people on the job. That left 232 people unable to secure employment.
Martin County’s unemployment rate dropped 0.1 percent from 10.7 percent in November to 10.6 percent in December, the ESC reported.
Martin County’s work force included 11,122 people, with 9,948 of them with jobs. That left 1,174 people unable to find jobs. Martin County’s work force totaled 11,392 people in November, with 10,182 people on the job. That left 1,210 people who could not find work.
Washington County’s unemployment rate increased from 11.2 percent in November to 11.6 percent in December, an increase of 0.4 percent.
Washington County had 5,811 people of its 6,574-person work force on the job in December. That left 763 people in the work force unable to find jobs.
For December, no county had a jobless rate at 5 percent or below. There were 43 counties with unemployment rates between 5 percent and 10 percent. Fifty-seven counties had unemployment rates at 10 percent or higher, according to ESC figures.
Orange County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in December at 5.8 percent. Graham County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 15.8 percent.
“Rates were down in nearly two-thirds of the state’s counties over the month,” said ESC Chairman Lynn R. Holmes in an ESC news release. “Continued focus on job growth and finding work for our customers remains our priority. Throughout North Carolina, our 89 offices serve thousands every day, whether it’s help in finding work or filing for benefits.”