By BRAD KELLAR
CNHI
ROCKWALL COUNTY — Local unemployment rose sharply to start the year, with the jobless rate and the number of people seeking jobs the highest recorded during the month of January so far this century.
On the other hand, the number of people at work also set a record for the month, according to a report issued by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
Rockwall County’s unemployment rate was listed at 8.2 percent in January, up from the 7.6 percent rate seen in December. Unemployment during January 2009 was listed at 6.6 percent.
There were 3,190 people listed as unemployed in Rockwall County in January, the highest number recorded for the month since at least January 2000, while also representing an increase of 227 people from December and 689 persons from January 2009.
There were 35,926 people listed as employed in the county during January, the highest number posted for the month this century, and 529 more than twelve months earlier, but 106 less than in December.
Rockwall County is listed by the TWC as part of the Dallas-Plano-Irving Metropolitan Division, which also includes Dallas, Collin, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Hunt and Kaufman counties.
Kaufman County recorded the division’s highest January unemployment rate, at 9.6 percent. Dallas County posted 9.2 percent unemployment and Hunt County reported 9.1 percent unemployment during the month.
Delta County recorded 8.9 percent January unemployment, with Ellis County posting 8.7 percent unemployment during the month.
Collin and Denton counties were tied for the division’s lowest unemployment rates during January, at 7.8 percent.
