The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the preliminary unemployment rate in metro Valdosta was unchanged at 9.2 percent from June to July. The rate was 9.7 percent in July 2011.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 7.4 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 12.5 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 9.3 percent in July, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in June. The jobless rate was 10 percent in July a year ago.

The number of jobs in the state dropped by 17,900, or five-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,931,900 in June to 3,914,000 in July. There were 20,600 jobs lost among seasonal workers in the local public schools, but some of that loss was offset because the private sector added 5,600 jobs.

In metro Valdosta, jobs decreased to 51,500, down by 200 from June, but up by 1,000 from 50,500 in July 2011.