The preliminary unemployment rate for February in Chilton County increased from the January rate but was lower than the February 2013 rate.

The county’s preliminary rate for February was 6.7 percent, compared to January’s revised rate of 6.3 percent and 6.8 percent for February 2013.

Alabama’s unemployment rate for February went up 0.3 percent from January’s rate of 6.1 percent.

Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Tom Surtees announced that Alabama’s preliminary seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate is 6.4 percent, which is lower than the February 2013 rate of 6.6 percent.

February’s rate represents 137,256 unemployed people, compared to 130,456 in January, and 142,855 in February 2013.

“Although we saw an uptick in the state’s unemployment rate, we also saw an increase in the number of people working, as well as the number of people in the labor force,” Surtees said in a release. “These indicators, combined with an increase in the number of jobs reported by employers, tell me that more people are out in the workforce, either looking for jobs or working, and that is certainly good news.”

In February, the number of people working in Alabama increased to 1,996,720 from 1,990,938 in January (seasonally adjusted).

The Civilian Labor Force, or people who are either working or actively seeking work, increased to 2,133,976 from 2,121,394 in January (seasonally adjusted).

Wage and salary employment, which is the measure of how many jobs Alabama’s economy supports and is reported by employers, increased 8,700 over the month. Gains were seen in the professional and business services sector (+3,000), the government sector (+2,700), the education and health services sector (+1,600), and the leisure and hospitality sector (+1,200), among others.

“Additionally, we continue to see high numbers of jobs posted on www.JobLink.alabama.gov, the state’s free online jobs database, and online ads for jobs statewide top 48,000,” Surtees said in a release. “Just this week, we announced that we would be offering additional career center services in Lowndes County, which has one of the higher unemployment rates in the state. Hopefully the free services offered there will help the unemployed citizens in that area get back to work.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 5.1 percent, Lee County at 5.9 percent and Autauga County at 6.3 percent.

Counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 16.9 percent, Perry County at 13.3 percent and Dallas County at 13.1 percent.

A complete listing of career centers is available at www.JobLink.alabama.gov.