Hoke County unemployment rate stays under 5%

RAEFORD — August 2023 figures show Hoke County’s unemployment rate stayed steady at 4.8% in the month of August.

Unemployment rates increased in 41 of North Carolina’s counties in August 2023, decreased in 28 and remained unchanged in 31. Hoke’s neighboring county, Scotland, had the highest unemployment rate at 6.2%, while Swain County had the lowest at 2.7%.

Hoke County’s ranking came in #88 among North Carolina’s 100 counties. That figure represents an improvement over one year ago when the county’s unemployment rate stood at 5.7%.

The number of workers employed statewide (not seasonally adjusted) decreased slightly in August but remains ahead of August 2022.

A dashboard provided by NC Works, which is affiliated with the N.C. Department of Commerce and the North Carolina Association of Workforce Development, shows around 250 open positions listed for Hoke County.

The NC Works Career Center in Hoke County is located at 304 Birch St. in Raeford. The office can be contacted at (910) 875-5059.