Polk County’s unemployment rate rose slightly in November with Polk now ranked as having the 18^th lowest unemployment rate in the state.

Polk County’s November unemployment rate was 5.1 percent, compared to 5 percent in October and 5 percent in September, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. The information from the department of commerce for November rates was released on Dec. 30.

Polk’s latest unemployment rate is under the statewide unemployment rate of 5.5 percent in November.

Polk’s unemployment rate has risen since 2014. In October 2014, Polk’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent and in November 2014, Polk’s unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, according to the department of commerce.

Polk’s labor force in November 2015 was 8,613 persons employed with 436 unemployed, according to the department of commerce.

Polk’s labor force in October 2015 was 8,603 persons employed with 434 unemployed, according to the department of commerce figures.

Statewide unemployment rates increased in 38 of North Carolina’s  counties in November, decreased in 37 counties and remained the same in 25 counties. Buncombe County had the lowest unemployment rate in November at 4.1 percent and Graham County had the highest unemployment rate in November at 11.5 percent.

Nearby Rutherford County ranked 83rd in the state in November with an unemployment rate of 7.4 percent.

Henderson County ranked fifth in the state in November with an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent.

Transylvania County ranked 31st in the state in November with an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent.

The number of workers employed statewide increased in November by 2,714 to a total of 4,526,140 persons employed. The number of people unemployed statewide decreased in November by 1,594 to a total of 261,097 total unemployed, according to the department of commerce.

In the last year, since November 2014, the number of workers employed statewide increased by 127,356 while those unemployed increased by 11,705, according to the department of commerce.

The department of commerce notes that employment estimates are subject to large seasonal patterns, and advises people to focus on over-the-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted estimates.

The department of commerce is scheduled on Jan. 26, 2016 to release December 2015 unemployment rates.