Season helps ease Dare County, N.C. jobless rate

Posted to: Business North Carolina
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The Virginian-Pilot
© May 30, 2009

By Connie Sage

Correspondent

Thanks to an uptick in seasonal jobs on the Outer Banks, Dare County's jobless rate dropped to 9.7 percent last month - down from 14.6 percent in March and a staggering 17.1 percent in February.

While Dare County's lower unemployment rate is good news, "the not-so-good news is that it's still high," said John Bone, president of the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.

Typically, the jobless rate this time of year would be 4 to 5 percent, he said.

The number of those without work also fell sharply in Hyde County, thanks in part to tourism on Ocracoke Island.

Ten northeast North Carolina counties showed a dip in unemployment in April, according to state Employment Security Commission statistics released Friday. Bertie, Chowan and Perquimans counties, however, still showed double-digit joblessness.

Local unemployment rates for April include: Bertie, 10.8 percent, down from 11.3 percent in March; Camden, 7.7 percent, down from 8.8 percent; Chowan, 11 percent, down from 11.8 percent; Currituck, 7.1 percent, down from 8.5 percent; Gates, 7.4 percent, down from 8 percent; Hertford, 9.7 percent, down from 10 percent; Hyde, 8.2 percent, down from 12.4 percent; Pasquotank, 9.2 percent, down from 9.9 percent; and Perquimans, 10.1 percent, down from 10.4 percent.

The state's jobless rate was 10.5 percent in April. Dare County's jobless rate for April dropped to 9.7 percent, down from 14.6 percent in March and 17.1 percent in February.

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That is not the true unemployment rate

Submitted by khman2005 on Sun, 05/31/2009 at 10:46 pm.

The unemployment rate is actually much higher. People must remember that much of the tradesman at the Outer Banks are actually self employed or are treated as independent contractors. They don't receive any unemployment assistance from the state. Has anybody noticed how many small businesses have closed at the Outer Banks? Look at OBX Plaza, Marketplace, Outer Banks Mall, etc...Many empty storefronts and yet they are building another shopping center for the new Food Lion. It isn't getting any better.

america

Submitted by greenturtlebird on Sun, 05/31/2009 at 7:46 am.

a place like the outer banks gives you a good reality check in how people need so much money for these overpriced and over inflated houses, the worst thing that could ever have happened to the outer banks did, they built all this fancy wannabee yuppie crap!!! the cost of living here is high and probably won't come down and now there is less income in the winter, it's an island and there is now not much space for development, how do people think they will pay these ridiculous mortgages, foreign exchange students can't do it in four months and most certainly your unemployment compensation won't either, screw the luxury crap what ever happened to the essential beach cottage or bungalow, your at the beach to be at the beach not in ocean front McMansions with home movie theaters and granite counter tops, locals are having a hard time and it's not all there fault it's a certain lifestyle that took us all down, and will take the rest down with it, environment and all, americans need to learn to live with less and be more into conserving our planet for future generations!!!

Dare's unemployment

Submitted by anng50072 on Sat, 05/30/2009 at 6:25 pm.

I am so tired of hearing people blame the UNEMPLOYED for their predicament!! The salaries and hours offered are less than unemployment compensation and that is NOT enough to pay for mortgage (or rent), and other bills. AND FORGET ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE!!! And STILL companies would rather hire low wage immigrants and foreign students and then send them home after the busy season, leaving still their neighbors without means to support their families. SHAME ON THE GREEDY BUSINESSES!!!