Beaufort County unemployment rate increased from 10.3 percent in November 2012 to 11.1 percent in December 2012, according to data from the N.C. Division of Employment Security.

Across the state, 96 other counties saw their unemployment rates rise from November to December. One county’s jobless rate declined from November to December, while two counties’ unemployment rates were unchanged from November to December.

The state’s unemployment rate rose from 9 percent in November to 9.5 percent in December.

Neal Anderson, supervisor of the DES office in Washington, offered his take on the unemployment rate.

“We did see a few scattered layoffs in small numbers and that kind of thing in December. Actually, we’re still seeing it in January,” Anderson said Thursday. “In looking at it … and comparing it to where we were last December, the year-over-year number shows that we’re down by six-tenths (of a percent). It’s just small, scattered layoffs from different entities throughout the county.”

Beaufort County’s work force for December was 21,077 people, with 2,348 of them unemployed and 18,729 employed, according to DES figures. In November, Beaufort County’s work force totaled 21,484 people, with 2,215 of those people unable to find employment and 19,269 people in the work force were working, according to DES figures.

Hyde County’s unemployment rate increased from 11 percent in November to 13.9 percent in December, a 2.9 percent rise.

Martin County’s unemployment rate in December was at 11.4 percent up 0.5 percent from the 10.9 percent rate for