The Dalton area had the highest unemployment rate among Georgia's metro areas last month at 12.1 percent. The Athens and Warner Robins areas had the lowest rates at 7.3 percent.

In metro Atlanta, the rate increased to 9.4 percent in December.

The Georgia Department of Labor said the new figure is up two-tenths of a percentage point from 9.2 percent in November. The jobless rate in metro Atlanta in December a year ago was 10.1 percent.

Labor officials said the rate increased because of layoffs in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, administrative and support services, and accommodations and food services.

The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Statewide, Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in December for the third straight month, dropping to 9.7 percent.

Tags: Georgia unemployment rate, Georgia uneunemployment rate, Athens unemployment, Dalton unemployment