Triangle unemployment rate falls to 7.3 percent

Across North Carolina, unemployment fell in 97 of 100 counties in September.

Posted 2:37 p.m. Nov 2, 2012 — Updated 10:26 p.m. Nov 2, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — While the national unemployment rate for October increased slightly, from 7.8 to 7.9 percent, the rate across the Triangle fell to 7.3 percent in September from 8 percent in August, the state reported Friday.

Across North Carolina, unemployment fell in 97 of 100 counties.

Joblessness also fell in all of the 14 major metropolitan areas, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Labor and Economic Analysis Division.

Without seasonal adjustments, the jobless rate for September was 8.9 percent.

A year ago, the Triangle jobless rate was 8.7 percent.

In Rocky Mount, the rate also fell, down to 8.5 percent from 9.2 percent in August. In Fayetteville, unemployment dropped to 9.6 percent from 11.2 percent.

Here's a closer look at individual county numbers:

Chatham – 6.7 percent, down from 7.1 percent in August
Durham – 7.4 percent, down from 8.0 percent in August
Johnston – 7.9 percent, down from 8.4 percent in August
Orange – 5.7 percent, down from 6.5 percent in August
Wake – 7.0 percent, down from 7.7 percent in August

The number of people working in Raleigh-Cary in September actually declined by 1,100, to 522,300.

An increase in government (2,500), education and health services (900) and mining, logging and construction (1,000) was offset by a drop of 3,200 in leisure and hospitality jobs.

Financial activities firms shed 800 jobs, and the trade, transportation and utilities sector lost 700 jobs.

In Durham-Chapel Hill, employment jumped by 3,500.

Most of those were government at 3,000. Education and health services added 1,200 and professional and business services 600. Sectors losing jobs in that metro area included leisure and hospitality (600) and trade, transportation and utilities (600).

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