Wayne County’s unemployment rate is heading in the right direction.  According to latest figures from the N.C. Department of Commerce, Wayne County’s seasonally unadjusted jobless rate dropped to 5.8% in February.  That’s down from the 6.3% rate in January, but still much higher than the jobless rate of 3.6% recorded in February of 2020 before COVID pandemic restrictions took effect.  The Department of Commerce says nearly 3,000 people were listed as unemployed in Wayne County this February.

Statewide, February’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.6%.