By Jen Aronoff
jaronoff@charlotteobserver.com

Charlotte-area unemployment rose to 12.8 percent in January, the worst figure in at least 20 years, with 109,789 people out of work, the N.C. Employment Security Commission said today.

That’s up from 12.1 percent in December, and surpasses the previous high of 12.5 percent, which came last June.

Statewide, unemployment was 11.5 percent in January. In Mecklenburg County, the rate was 11.7 percent, up from 11.2.

The Hickory metro area again had the highest unemployment rate in the state, with 15.8 percent, up from 14.8 percent in December.

Sign up for our Weekly Email Newsletter Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

Other Ways to Share Twitter Del.icio.us MySpace

Discussions and Submission Agreement