Beaufort County’s unemployment rate fell from 6.6 percent in November 2014 to 6.3 percent in December 2014, according to the N.C. Department of Labor.

For the third straight month, Beaufort County’s unemployment rate was somewhere between 6.3 and 6.6 percent, according to LEAD data.

“I do think we’re seeing an increase in the number of job listings across the board. So, I do think there are more jobs available. We’re seeing more people actually connect with jobs,” said Jennie Bowen, manager of the Beaufort County JobLink Career Center (taking the place of the former the Employment Security Commission). “I know I talked with one individual last week who had three phone calls about a job in one week. That’s good news. He had been working and had kind of been looking for something else. There’s always that time of year, too, when people start looking at making a change maybe from where the currently are. Some positions are opening up because people are moving around.”

Bowen said with the shorter unemployment-benefits cycle there are a lot of people not being included in the unemployment rate but remain without jobs.

Fifty-five of North Carolina’s 100 counties saw their unemployment rates fall from November to December, according to figures released by the department’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division. Twenty-eight counties experienced increases in their jobless rates from November to December, with 16 counties seeing no change in their unemployment rates from November to December.

The state’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in December, down from 5.4 percent in November, according to LEAD data. In December 2013, the state’s jobless rate was at 6.6 percent.

Beaufort County’s work force totaled 18,633 people in December, according to LEAD information. Of that number, 1,181 people were unable to secure employment. That meant 17,452 people were on the job and earning paychecks. Beaufort County’s work force totaled 19,158 people in November, with 1,242 of them unable to secure employment and 17,916 of them working, according to LEAD information.

For December, Graham County had the highest unemployment rate at 12.3 percent, while Chatham County had the lowest jobless rate at 3.8 percent, according to LEAD figures

Twenty-six counties had unemployment rates at or below 5 percent in December, with 72 counties having jobless rates between 5 percent and 10 percent. Two counties had jobless rates higher than 10 percent in December.

For December, Hyde County’s jobless rate was at 9.7 percent, up from 7 percent in November and down from 10.3 percent in December 2013. Martin County’s unemployment rate increased from 6.2 percent in November to 6.3 percent in December. Its jobless rate for December 2013 was at 7.6 percent. Washington County’s jobless rate was at 6.6 percent in December, up from 6.5 percent in November. Its jobless rate for December 2013 was 8.5 percent. Pitt County’s jobless rate for December was 5.2 percent, down from 5.4 percent the previous month. In December 2013, Pitt County’s unemployment rate was at 6.5 percent.

The jobless figures released by the state do not include unemployed people whose unemployment insurance benefits expired and who are not listed as unemployed. Factor in those people and a county’s true jobless rate is higher.