The unemployment rate for Morgan County rose to 6.8 percent in June, an increase of nearly a full percentage point from May, according to data released Friday by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.

The rate represents 3,773 unemployed persons in Morgan County compared to 3,268 during May. The number of employed persons increased by 39 to 52,121.

The unemployment rate is also up from 6.5 percent in June 2013.

The Decatur metropolitan area also saw a similar increase, from 6.2 percent in May to 7.1 percent in June. That is also up from 6.8 percent in June 2013.

The Alabama seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained steady at 6.8 percent while the U.S. unemployment rate fell from 6.3 percent in May to 6.1 percent in June, which is down from 7.5 percent a year ago.

“For Alabamians who want a job, we remain focused on helping them find and keep a job,” Gov. Robert Bentley said. “Just this week, we were able to announce three new projects resulting in hundreds of well-paying jobs for Alabamians. These jobs are a sign that existing companies are confident in the Alabama economy.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 5 percent, Baldwin and Cullman Counties at 5.7 percent, and Lee and Cherokee Counties at 5.9 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 17.2 percent, Perry County at 14.8 percent, and Dallas County at 14.3 percent.

The top job postings for June were heavy and tractor-trailer drivers, first-line supervisors in retail positions, registered nurses, retail salespersons and customer service representatives.

“Although we saw a decrease in the number of wage and salary jobs reported, the largest decreases were in the education and government sectors, respectively,” said Jim Henry, Labor Market Information Director at the Alabama Department of Labor. “This is very common and is expected to occur in June when school personnel leave the job market.”