Special to IFN

RALEIGH — Iredell County’s unemployment rate dipped slightly in July to 3.5 percent, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce.

The county’s unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in June. Iredell has a workforce of 105,731 individuals. Some 3,706 were unemployed in June.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 75 counties in July, increased in 11, and remained unchanged in 14. Edgecombe County had the highest unemployment rate at 5.8 percent while Currituck County had the lowest at 2.7 percent.

Fourteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases and one remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.3 percent while Raleigh had the lowest at 3.2 percent. The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.8 percent.

When compared to the same month last year, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in 89 counties, increased in seven, and remained unchanged in four. Fourteen metro areas experienced rate decreases over the year and one increased.

The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) increased in July by 29,896 to 5,124,369, while those unemployed decreased by 7,525 to 202,827. Since July 2024, the number of workers employed statewide increased 10,561, while those unemployed decreased 14,366.