Yadkin County’s unemployment rate rose in October, with the county joining 11 other North Carolina counties to see an increase in the unemployment rate in October.

Yadkin County’s unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in October, up 0.8 percent from September’s 8.8 percent rate.

This October’s rate for Yadkin County is also up from last year’s rate of 9 percent, with the most recent reported rate at 9.6.

These figures come from a report released last Thursday by the North Carolina Division of Employment Security (DES), previously known as the Employment Security Commission.

“October data showed a decrease in all of the state’s metropolitan areas,” said DES Assistant Secretary Lynn R. Holmes in the DES report. “While unemployment rates dropped in most of the counties, there are counties with rates higher than 10 percent. We continue to work with our workforce partners in assisting our customers in job search assistance in our DES offices and JobLink Career Centers across the state.”

Although the unemployment rate increased, Yadkin County continues to hold one of the lowest unemployment rates in this area, according to the report. Unemployment rates are at 10.8 percent for Wilkes County, 10.5 percent for Davie County, 10.1 percent for Iredell County, 10.1 percent for Surry County, 9.2 percent for Stokes County and 8.9 for Forsyth County.

Unemployment benefits paid in the county from November 2010 through October 2011 totaled $14,210,001.

Yadkin County is one of 42 counties with a rate within the 9.6 to 11.5 percent range for unemployment in October. Thirty-four counties had rates below this percentage range, while 24 counties had rates above this percentage range for the month of October.

Rates increased in 12 counties in October, decreased in 83 and remained unchanged in five.

Thirty-four counties had reported unemployment rates below Yadkin’s 9.6 percent in October, a significant increase from only 14 counties with lower rates than Yadkin for the month of September.

Counties reporting rates above Yadkin’s rate for the month of October totaled 63.

Two counties — Hoke and Macon — had the same rate as Yadkin.

Currituck County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in October at 5.4 percent, with the highest unemployment rate belonging to Scotland County at 16.6 percent.

Yadkin County is one of 42 counties with rates lower than the statewide rate of 9.7 percent, which dropped from the 10 percent rate reported for September.

More information concerning unemployment rates for the state and its counties can be found at the DES website, http://www.ncesc.com.