97 of North Carolina’s 100 counties experienced increases in unemployment in December, as the state finished up 2012 going in the wrong direction statistically. The state rate of 9.5%, up a half-percent, while both Ashe and Avery experienced 1%+ increases, Ashe up 1.6—now 11.6, and Avery up 1.3% to 12.1%.Watauga’s rate increased .6%, landing at 8.5%. The report did not include a break-down by industry, that to come in the first report of 2013.