Dallas County’s unemployment rate increased slightly in July to 11.6 percent.

The summer has seen the jobless rate rise 1.8 percent since May.

The numbers are still better than the 14.2 percent rate from a year ago.

Statewide, unemployment held at 6.2 percent, virtually unchanged since May.

“We continue to show strong yearly growth in our jobs numbers as reported by Alabama employers,” Gov. Robert Bentley said. “Employment is up by more than 30,000, and is at its highest point for the same time period since 2008. This is a strong indicator that employers are continuing to hire.”

Experts say the reason unemployment has remained unchanged or even increased is due to seasonal employment, especially in education.

“The reason that our unemployment rate is virtually unchanged is mostly due to continued seasonal effects,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “It is not uncommon to see stagnant or increased unemployment rates during the summer months, as many education employees remain out of work.”

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 30,700 to 1,945,600. The last time wage and salary employment was equal to that number of jobs was in July 2008, when it was 1,989,000.

Gains were seen in the professional and business services sector (1,600 jobs) and education and health services sector (1,200 jobs).

“Over the year, 66 counties experienced a drop in their unemployment rate, and the 67th county saw no change. This is excellent news,” Washington said. “Every single Alabama county is doing better now than they were one year ago.”

Choctaw County was the only county that did not see a drop in its rate, which remained unchanged.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 4.6 percent, Elmore and Baldwin Counties at 5.6 percent, and Cullman and St. Clair Counties at 5.7 percent. The highest rates were Wilcox County at 16.2 percent and Clarke at 13.5 percent.