The latest unemployment statistics have been released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce Labor & Economic Analysis Division. The numbers released reflect the unemployment rates for July.

Catawba County’s jobless rate is listed at 3.4 percent, unchanged from June. Alexander County’s unemployment rate decreased from 3.2 percent to 3.1 percent. Burke County’s jobless percentage dropped from 3.6 to 3.5. Caldwell County has an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, unchanged from the June report.

The unemployment rate for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area or MSA is 3.4 percent, down from 3.5 in the last report. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton is tied for the fifth lowest unemployment rate among 15 MSAs in the state.

The statewide unemployment rate is 3.6 percent, unchanged from the June report. Unemployment rates decreased in 39 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, increased in 27, and remained unchanged in 34. Scotland County has the highest unemployment rate at 6.7 percent, Buncombe and Swain Counties are tied with the lowest at 2.7 percent.