CONYERS - The unemployment rate for Rockdale County held steady at 6.8 percent for the month of July, which is the exact same rate as in June.

The number of unemployed people increased by 34, but the labor forced added nearly 300 new workers during the month of July.
The rate has been on an upward trajectory lately after months of downfall earlier in the year.

In May, the rate rose from 6.3 percent to 6.6 percent, the first time since the January the rate went up from the previous month. Then in June, the rate spike again to 6.8 percent.

The rate of unemployment this time a year ago was 8.7 percent.
Newton County's unemployment rate had a bit of a spike. It rose by 0.1 percent to 7.1 percent in July from 7 percent in June.
Unemployment in the metro-Atlanta area also increased to 6.1 percent in July.

Overall, the state's unemployment rate went down to 6 percent in July, a decrease of 0.1 percent. A year ago this time, the state's unemployment rate was 7.2 percent.