The unemployment rate for Chilton County has dropped to 9.3 percent, the state Department of Industrial Relations announced Friday.

The rate was 10.4 percent in June and 9.1 percent one year ago. July’s rate represents 1,797 unemployed persons in Chilton County, compared to 2,049 the previous month.

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced Friday that Alabama’s July 2011 unemployment rate rose to 10 percent, up slightly from June’s rate of 9.9 percent. July’s rate represents 215,902 unemployed persons, up from 213,886 in June. The rate is also higher than last year’s rate of 9.2 percent.

“While we are disappointed to report any increase in our seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, we are encouraged by the jobs coming into the state,” said Surtees. “There are significantly more Alabamians working in July than in January this year. In addition, we continue to see more discouraged workers resuming their job search, with more unemployed active job seekers in July. So while we have seen more jobs, we have also seen more job seekers as well,” he continued.

The counties with the lowest unemployment rates were: Shelby County at 7 percent, Coffee County at 7.7 percent and Pike County at 8.1 percent. The counties with the highest unemployment rates were: Wilcox County at 23.3 percent, Perry County at 20.5 percent and Dallas County at 19.9 percent.