The county’s unemployment numbers have decreased one percent since peaking at 15 in February.

Richmond County was among 56 North Carolina counties to see its jobless figures drop in the month of June, while the unemployment rate stayed the same in another 12 counties.

A fraction of a percentage point was shaved from Richmond County’s figures, to reach an even 14. This ranks 16th in the state among highest county unemployment rates. Among the 15 counties with a larger percentage are neighboring Scotland and Anson.

To the east, Scotland remains the least employed per capita in the state as it maintained its rate of 17.2. To the west, Anson’s numbers ticked upwards three-tenths of a point to 15.3.

“While conditions are not deteriorating as sharply as they were, that is a far cry from saying that the labor market is getting better,” said North Carolina researcher John Quinterno in his analysis of the numbers.

A press release from Quinterno’s firm, South By North Strategies, pointed to the fact the unemployment rates remain in the double digits in 73 of the state’s 100 counties. In 40 of those counties, the rate exceeded 12 percent.

Furthermore, Quinterno cited the fact the workforce continued to shrink in 12 of the state’s 14 metropolitan areas, with only Winston-Salem seeing an increase in jobs.

“The June employment figures provide more evidence that a long, jobless recovery is taking shape in North Carolina,” Quinterno said. “High levels of joblessness and the severe losses in wealth suffered by many households will hold down consumer spending into the foreseeable future. Without increased demand for goods and services, employers will add positions at an anemic pace.”

North Carolina Employment Security Commission Chairman Moses Carey Jr. noted there wasn’t much change either way in the rates of the vast majority of counties.

“We are seeing some summer hiring, but not at the pace of previous years,” he said in the agency’s monthly news release. “At the same time, we are still dealing with some job loss and the ESC continues to be there for individuals needing work search assistance or help with filing for unemployment benefits.”

Ashe, Dare and Swain counties saw their numbers swing more than 1 percent either way. All of these three saw their rates reduced by at least 1.4 percent.

There were 49 counties at or below the state average of 11.2 percent unemployment.

The national unemployment rate for June was 9.5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Over the course of the last 12 months, the dollar amount of unemployment benefits paid out by the state has now topped $3 trillion. Richmond County residents have received over $16.6 billion of these claims.