Polk County was ranked with the 34th lowest unemployment rate in North Carolina out of 100 counties for the month of August with a rate of 4.9 percent, according to the latest figures from the N.C. Department of Commerce.

Polk County was ranked 27th lowest unemployment rate in the state in July, with a rate of 4.7 percent and ranked 29th lowest in June with a rate of 4.9 percent, according to the department of commerce.

Polk County’s May rate was 4.2 percent, which placed Polk as the 12th lowest rate in the state at that time.

Buncombe County remained the lowest rate in the state at 3.9 percent in August, followed by Dare County at 4.1 percent, Wake County at 4.2 percent, Chatham County at 4.3 percent and Henderson County at 4.3 percent, according to the department of commerce.

Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate in August at 8.8 percent.

Nearby Rutherford County was ranked 85th in the state in August, with an unemployment rate of 6.5 percent.

Polk County’s labor force in August was 8,720 with 430 persons unemployed, according to the department of commerce’s figures.

Rutherford County’s August labor force was 24,597 with 1,606 persons unemployed.

Polk County’s 2016 unemployment rates have dropped slightly over the 2015 unemployment rates. Polk County’s August 2015 unemployment rate was 5.2 percent, compared to the August 2016 rate of 4.9 percent and July 2016 rate of 4.7 percent.

For the month of August, unemployment rates, not seasonally adjusted, increased in 68 counties throughout the state, decreased in 14 counties and stayed the same in 18 counties.

For the state’s metro areas, Asheville had the lowest rate at 4.1 percent and Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 7.4 percent.

The state’s unemployment rate for August was 5 percent, just slightly above Polk County’s August rate.

The state’s September unemployment rate, just released on Oct. 21, was 4.7 percent.

The county rates for September are scheduled to be released by the department of commerce on Nov. 2.