(RALEIGH) -- Unemployment rates decreased in 99 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in March, according to the latest figures from the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.  The number of counties with a jobless rate of 10 percent or more dropped from 70 in February to 61 in March.

“We are beginning to see more counties drop below a rate of ten percent unemployment," said ESC Chairman Lynn R. Holmes.  "This reflects the commitment by Gov. Perdue and our workforce partners to grow jobs in our state, and this agency remains focused on putting people back to work.”

North Carolina had 35 counties that were at or below the state’s unadjusted unemployment rate of 9.7 percent. Rates decreased in all 14 of the state’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas for the second consecutive month.

The number of workers employed increased in March by 51,323 to 4,039,958. The number of people unemployed decreased by 15,633.