The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the preliminary unemployment rate in the Southwest Georgia area rose to 9.8 percent in June, up seven-tenths of a percentage point from 9.1 percent in May. The rate was 10.4 percent in June 2011.

The rate increased because 541 new job seekers entered the labor force, but were unable to find work, pushing unemployment up 1,204.

Metro Athens and metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rates at 7.5 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 12.3 percent. Athens has had the lowest area rate, or tied for the lowest, each month since December 2009. Dalton has had the highest area rate since August 2011.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 9.0 percent in June, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 8.9 percent in May, the first increase in almost a year. The jobless rate was 9.9 percent in June a year ago.

The number of jobs in the state dropped by 8,200, or two-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,941,500 in May to 3,933,300 in June. However, jobs were up by 45,200 from 3,888,100 in June 2011.