While the Asheville metropolitan area added jobs in November, unemployment rose as well, according to figures released by the state’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division.
The Asheville Metropolitan Area — consisting of Buncombe, Haywood, Madison, and Henderson counties — saw unemployment rise from 6.8 to 7.1 percent. Buncombe’s unemployment remained unchanged at 6.8 percent. However, the metro area added 800 jobs, with notable increases in the trade/transport/utilities, leisure/hospitality, and health/education sectors.
Unemployment can sometimes increase as an economy picks back up, as people who had previously stopped looking for work entirely start trying to find a job again. But statewide, the number of employed decreased during November. The numbers are not adjusted to reflect seasonal shifts in employment.
