Published: 2:14 PM, 08/24/2009

Last updated: 12:52 PM, 11/17/2009

By: Scott Nicholson

North Carolina's unemployment rate stayed steady in July despite additional job losses.

The North Carolina Employment Security Commission reported an unemployment rate of 11 percent for last month, statistically equal with June's rate. While job losses appear to be tapering off, the unemployment rate is still nearly double what it was a year ago, when it was 6.3 percent. However, it is the first month since then in which the unemployment rate didn't increase.

According to data from the N.C. Employment Security Commission, the work force decreased by about 13,000 jobs last month, while the unemployment ranks decreased by 4,853 people.

Over the course of the past year, more than 209,000 more people have become unemployed.

County unemployment rates will be released on Aug. 28. Last month, Watauga County was one of 56 counties that saw increases in the unemployment rate.

Watauga's rate in June was 8.1 percent in data that wasn't seasonally adjusted.

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