Asheville unemployment declined in May

Driven by growth in government, leisure, and professional jobs, unemployment in the Asheville metro area declined again in May, dropping from 8.6 percent to 8.2 percent, according to statistics from the state’s Employment Security Commission.

The Asheville metro area includes Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Haywood counties. Unemployment also declined in Buncombe somewhat, dropping from 8.2 percent to 8 percent. Throughout the state, 86 counties saw declines in unemployment, though the numbers aren’t adjusted for seasonal changes in jobs. While the Asheville area faces less unemployment than most metro areas in the state (only Jacksonville and Durham-Chapel Hill have lower rates), the mountains as a whole are hard hit by the downturn. Haywood and Madison counties have 8.9 and 9 percent unemployment, respectively, while the nearby Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area has the highest unemployment in the state, at 13 percent.

The area gained 800 government jobs, 600 in the leisure and hospitality sector and 400 in professional and business services. Health, education and construction also saw some minor gains. Other fields stayed flat, except for manufacturing, where 100 jobs were lost.

— David Forbes, senior reporter

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10 thoughts on “Asheville unemployment declined in May

  1. scott

    i just dont see any improvment yet , part of the unemployment drop are folks whos bennefits are exausted ,
    they are counted amongst the remployed

  2. shadmarsh

    800 government jobs = Census work, which means 800 government jobs are about to be lost.

  3. kimberlina

    I cannot find work downtown Asheville. There are too many applicants and local businesses are hiring young. It is discrimination against those who are their thirties.

  4. LOKEL

    There is very little to “crow” about here … a .04 decrease!

    To kimberlina: there are plenty of “downtown jobs” advertised on Craigslist and the Grove Park Inn has over 100 vacancies posted on their own site.

  5. travelah

    Temp government workers and seasonal tourism jobs. Sounds like an Oba recovery to me!

  6. hal millard

    Hey MX, why no mention that Heath Shuler, a supposed Democrat, just voted against extending unemployment benefits? If you’re going to be a news publication, please let’s do a little better job covering our Congressman and his maddeningly contrary ways.

  7. Open eyes

    I feel sad for Kimberlina who makes excuses for not finding work when there are many, many good jobs out there, as Lokel mentions. It’s not about age it’s about skills and if you think you have to work only downtown you miss out on the big picture. There’s more to Asheville than downtown. Grove Park Inn offers free bus passes to their employees as well as a slew of other excellent benefits. People assume they are too good to do a certain job sometimes though.

  8. kim

    Not unless there are 2 Kimberlinas’ in Asheville, this one never posted these comments…

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