Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — Iredell County’s unemployment rate July dropped to 4.4 percent in July, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce.

Iredell County has a labor force of 90,456 workers. Some 3,975 individuals are currently unemployed throughout the county..

Iredell’s unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in June.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 99 of North Carolina’s counties in July and remained unchanged in one. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 9.1 percent while Avery County had the lowest at 3.5 percent.

All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 6.7 percent while Durham-Chapel Hill and Raleigh each had the lowest at 3.9 percent.

The July (not seasonally adjusted) statewide rate was 4.6 percent.

When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in all 100 counties. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year.

The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in July by 26,529 to 4,817,155, while those unemployed decreased by 15,020 to 232,409. Since July 2020, the number of workers employed statewide increased 300,560, while those unemployed decreased 228,345.