Spalding County’s jobless rate increased for the month of December to 12.7 percent.

This is up from 12.3 percent in November, but down from 13.3 percent in December 2010. The local labor force grew from 28,277 to 28,433, but so did the number of unemployed from 3,489 in November to 3,622 in December, which is down from 3,709 in December 2010,

At 12.7 percent, Spalding’s jobless rate is higher than national average of 8.3 percent, the state average of 9.4 percent, as well as higher than both the Atlanta Metro Service Area rate of 9.4 percent and the Three Rivers Regional Commission rate of 10.4 percent. Spalding County is counted in both regions and has the highest unemployment rate in both.

The highest unemployment rate in the state by metro service area is in Rome at 10.4 percent. The highest regional commission rate is 11.3 percent in Heart of Georgia Altamaha.

Of the 159 counties, the highest unemployment rate is in Chattahoochee County at 17.4 percent, with the lowest at 6 percent in Oconee County. All of these rates are not seasonally adjusted.

In the 10-county Three Rivers Regional Commission, the lowest rate is is in Coweta County at 9 percent, followed by Pike at 9.8 percent, Carroll at 9.9 percent, Troup at 10.3 percent, Heard at 11.1 percent, Upson at 11.4 percent, Butts at 11.7 percent, Lamar at 12.3 percent and Meriwether at 12.4 percent.

Of the other counties contiguous to Spalding, the lowest unemployment rate is in Fayette County at 8.6 percent, followed by Henry County at 9.9 percent and Clayton County at 11.8 percent.