Valdosta, GA-The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate increased to 9.1 percent in June, up 1.0 percent from 8.1 percent in May. The rate was also 9.1 percent in June a year ago.

The rate increased primarily because of two seasonal factors: large numbers of education workers are unemployed during the summer and new graduates are considered unemployed until they find a job.

While the jobless rate increased, the number of jobs in metro Valdosta decreased by 1,500, or 2.7 percent, from 55,200 in May to 53,700 in June. Most of the job losses came in state government and trade and transportation.

Also, over the year, the number of jobs decreased by 400, or seven-tenths of a percentage point, from 54,100 in June 2012. Most of the job losses came in state government and trade and transportation.

The unemployment rate in the Southern Georgia region increased to 10.5 percent in June, up nine-tenths of a percentage point, from 9.6 percent in May. The rate was 10.6 percent in June a year ago.