WILMINGTON — The unemployment rate for New Hanover County held at 9.3 percent in July, according to figures released Friday by the N.C. Department of Commerce.
The county posted the same rate in June, but it’s a 1.1-percentage-point improvement over July 2011.
In the labor force of 106,328, there were 9,927 persons unemployed in New Hanover County, the report showed.
The Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which covers New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties, posted a 10.1-percent unemployment rate in July—little difference from the 10 percent rate recorded for June.
Brunswick County saw little change, worsening to 11 percent from the prior month’s 10.8 percent rate. The latest number is unchanged from the county’s July 2011 figure.
Pender County also saw little change, increasing 0.1 percentage points to 11.3 percent for July. The new rate is, however, a 1.5-percentage-point improvement from its July 2011 posting.
DOC says unemployment rates dropped in 47 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in July. Rates increased in 26 counties and were unchanged in 27. Deputy Commerce Secretary Dale Carroll called that good news overall.
“Rates either dropped or remained the same in most of North Carolina in July,” Carroll said in a news release. “Compared to the same time last year, nearly all of the state’s counties have a lower unemployment rate.”
At 4.7 percent, Currituck County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in July. Scotland County had the highest at 17.6-percent, according to DOC.
The state will release unemployment rates for August on September 21.
