Metro Atlanta’s jobless rate rose to 9.4 percent in December, while the state rate dipped for the third straight month.

DeKalb County’s jobless rate was 9.7 percent in December.

The Georgia Department of Labor said in a Jan. 26 statement that the preliminary unemployment rate in metro Atlanta increased two-tenths of a percentage point from 9.2 percent in November. A year ago in December 2010, the rate in metro Atlanta was 10.1 percent.

The rate increased because there were layoffs in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, administrative and support services, and accommodations and food services.

Metro Athens and Warner Robins had the lowest unemployment rates in the state at 7.3 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 12.1 percent. For more information, visit www.dol.state.ga.us.