Scotland County's unemployment rate was 16.5 percent in the month of August, 0.6 points lower than the July rate of 17.1, according to statistics released by the state Employment Security Commission.

Scotland still has the highest unemployment rate in North Carolina, followed by Edgecombe at 16.3 percent, Caldwell at 15.3 and Anson at 15.1.

"Jobs are becoming available," Scotland County ESC Director Burnest Graham said. "We have been making use of jobs wherever they are."

He said the local JobLink office has been referring people to other counties for work.

Job growth wasn't the only reason for the decline in unemployment, Graham said.

"Stimulus money has started taking hold and given us some relief from the economy."

He also said seasonal shifts, like teens returning to school, has affected the rate.

The rate drop reflects 104 people no longer seeking work and the number of people employed has increased by just one.

Many surrounding counties and the state as a whole saw drops in unemployment despite a lack of new jobs.

All surrounding North Carolina counties saw a decline in unemployment. Hoke's rate dropped 0.4 points to 8.4 percent, Moore's rate dropped 0.4 to 9.7, Richmond dropped 0.3 to 13.3 and Robeson dropped 0.5 to 12.0 percent. Only Robeson County showed an increase in jobs.

North Carolina also had its rate drop 0.4 points to 10.7 percent despite shedding 29,620 jobs. Those searching for jobs also declined by 25,796.

ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. attributed a statewide decline in unemployment to seasonal shifts that reduce the size of the labor force.

"Rates have decreased in many of these counties for various reasons," Carey said. "Most counties experienced some loss in the labor force. People moving away and looking for work in other areas, students returning to school, or some people exhausting their benefits are reasons for such declines. This can have an impact on the unemployment rate."