Moore County's unemployment rate has dropped for the third straight month.

The jobless rate decreased from 9.7 percent to 9.5 percent from August to September, according to new numbers released by the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina (ESC). That's below the state's unadjusted unemployment rate of 10.4 percent.

"The global and national recession continues to affect our state," said ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr in the release. "While 76 counties across North Carolina experienced an unemployment rate decrease, we must remember that most of these same counties remain at a high rate. We're encouraged by some recent job announcements, but we are also aware of some continued layoffs. The ESC continues to help job seekers connect with employers all across the state."

Moore County currently has 36,951 workers in its labor force. Of that number, 33,438 are employed, while 3,513 are out of work.

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