The Employment Security Commission has released the state’s unemployment numbers for the month of September and the findings indicate September saw few changes in local employment conditions. 

John Quinterno, principal of south by north strategies, a research firm that analyzes economic and economic policy, says even though unemployment levels haven’t declined any further, there is still a long way to go on the road to recovery. 

Unemployment remained at elevated levels in 14 of the state’s metropolitan areas and six of those posted double-digit unemployment rates. Last month, employers eliminated 600 more positions than they created.  Even though jobs in the public sector increased, private employers slashed over 13,000 positions. 

Some of the areas that have been hit the hardest by unemployment include Mecklenburg County at 12.2 percent, 10.9 percent in the Piedmont Triad, and 13.4 percent in Rock Mount.  However, Quinterno says the lowest unemployment rates once again belong to the Durham-Chapel Hill area at 7.7percent. 

The Hickory-Lenoir area ranks atop the list with the highest unemployment rate at 14.1 percent.