The state reported Polk County had a labor force in May of 9,920 with 8,991 employed and 929 unemployed. That&squo;s up from 870 unemployed in April. Polk was one of 82 counties in the state that saw an increase in the jobless rate in May.&bsp; North Carolina had 46 counties at or below the state&squo;s unadjusted unemployment rate of 11.1 percent in May, and rates increased in all 14 of the state&squo;s Metropolitan Statistical areas.

The state showed a total of 505,445 unemployed workers in May, up from 478,695 in April.

&dquo;All of the state&squo;s 100 counties continue to be challenged by this recession,&dquo; said ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr., who said the state has paid nearly $3 billion in unemployment benefits this year.

&dquo;We continue to work with customers in our 89 offices statewide ‐ and over the Internet and telephone ‐to make sure those seeking work can find a position and those needing unemployment benefits receive those monies.&dquo;

Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 17.2 percent, while Currituck County had the lowest rate at 6.3 percent.

Neighboring Rutherford County continued to have one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, although it dropped from 16 percent in April to 15.5 percent in May.

Unemployment rates also jumped in Upstate South Carolina. The rate rose in Spartanburg County from 11.5 percent in April to 12.3 percent in May and in Greenville County from 9.4 percent in April to 10.1 percent in May.