Unemployment rates are dropping

[Jerseyman4]

According to the Pilot:

In central North Carolina

December 2005

Rutherford County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 8.3 percent (highest in the state)

Richmond County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 7.2 percent.

Montgomery County{sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 5.9 percent.

Cumberland County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 5.5 percent

Hoke County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 5.6 percent

Lee County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 5.3 percent

STATEWIDE AVERAGE {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 4.7 percent (53/100 counties in the state with rates below 5 percent)

Moore County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 4.5 percent

Randolph County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 4.3 percent

Chatham County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 3.9 percent

Watagua County {sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}} 3.0 percent (lowest in the state)

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The mountain counties take the fame for the lowest and highest ranks. The Pilot does not state strong reasons why unemployment is dropping. While the counties here listed are rural counties, many of these counties hosted many manufacturing jobs where in recent years, many have left the state for cheaper labor. As mentioned in the Rockingham post, a stagnant economy will bring ugly unemployment numbers. Their neighbor to the south in Marlboro County, SC hosts the highest unemployment rate in SC and its over 10%!