The employment situation is even worse in neighboring Rutherford County, where the jobless rate jumped 2.7 percent in January to reach 15.5 percent, the seventh highest rate in the state.

The highest unemployment rate in North Carolina in January was in Dare County at 17.3 percent. The lowest rate in the state was Orange County at 5.8 percent.

Neighboring Henderson County had an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent in January, while Buncombe County was at 8.2 percent.

The unemployment rate rose in all 100 counties in the state in January. Polk was one of 36 counties at or below the state average of 10.3 percent.

&dquo;The Employment Security Commission is continuing to help our customers who come to us in this difficult time seeking jobs and unemployment benefits,&dquo; said ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. &dquo;The ESC is paying record amounts of benefits to transitional workers and will distribute over $200 million in benefits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.&dquo;