WASHINGTON: The Wilson County unemployment rate decreased during the month of March along with the rest of the state. Unemployment rates decreased in all 100 counties, with Wilson County’s rate decreasing from 8.8 percent in February to 8.3 percent in March, N.C. Department of Commerce figures show. The Wilson County labor force of people working or eligible to work improved in March to 36,361, reflecting an increase of 568 in the labor pool.
While the labor force strengthens and unemployment reduces, Wilson County still maintains one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Wilson County has the ninth highest unemployment rate out of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
The statewide unemployment rate improved from 5.7 percent in February to 5.4 percent in March. The rate was the highest in Hyde County at 13.3 percent, and the lowest rate was in Buncombe County, 4.2 percent. In nearby counties, from February to March, rates decreased in Edgecombe from 9.6 to 8.9 percent, in Greene from 5.5 to 5 percent, in Johnston from 5.2 to 4.9 percent, in Nash from 7.2 to 6.9 percent, in Pitt from 5.9 to 5.6 percent and in Wayne from 6.2 to 5.8 percent.
