There is some positive news on the jobs front across North Carolina. The latest unemployment numbers show a drop in the jobless rate in every corner of the state from Asheville to Wilmington.
Several metropolitan areas with unemployment rates in the double digits saw their numbers drop by nearly a full point in February. Those communities include Greenville, Rocky Mount and Greensboro-High Point. A lot of the movement reflects normal seasonal patterns.
Still the combined statistical area of Raleigh, Durham and Cary boasts the lowest unemployment rate of 7.5 percent, down from 8.1 percent a month ago.
Numbers released Wednesday by the state Commerce Department show the unemployment rate dropped in 99 of 100 counties. Only Rockingham County experienced a small rise. The highest rate is in Graham County, topping 20 percent. The lowest is in Orange County at 5.9 percent.
Madison County, up in the mountains, has the biggest decline in its jobless rate, a 1.7-percent drop in the last month. In February, the number of workers employed across the state increased by 1,334 to 4,256,262.