Hurricane Helene storm damage sent Buncombe County’s unemployment rate soaring in October. The county saw its unemployment rate go from one of the state’s lowest – 2.5% in September – to 8.8% in October. The Asheville MSA unemployment rate – which also includes Haywood, Henderson and Madison counties – had a 7.3% unemployment rate, compared to 2.6% in September and 2.9% a year ago.
The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.6%. The N.C. Department of Commerce released county unemployment rates for October on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
Unemployment rates increased in 91 counties in October, decreased in three and remained unchanged in three. Currituck County on the North Carolina coast had the lowest rate at 2.6%. Among metro areas, Durham-Chapel Hill and Wilmington each had the lowest at 2.9%.
Two other mountain counties, Madison and Mitchell, had 7.5% unemployment rates. Nearby Yancey County had a 7% unemployment rate.
Compared to the same month last year, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased in 59 counties, increased in 24 and remained unchanged in 17. Ten metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year, three increased and two remained unchanged.