Floyd County’s unemployment rate declined to 9.5 percent in October, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 9.6 percent in September. The rate was 11.3 percent in October 2011.

The rate declined because of an increase of 600 new jobs in Floyd County. There were 38,100 jobs in October, up 1.6 percent from 37,500 in September. The growth came mostly in the service-related industries, including retail trade, education, health care and state government. In one year’s time jobs were up in metro Rome by 1,000, or 2.7 percent, from 37,100 in October 2011.

All counties in the Coosa Valley area saw their unemployment rates fall from last year, and only Whitfield and Polk saw the numbers rise from September to October.

The preliminary unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region was unchanged at 8.7 percent from September to October. The rate was 10.1 percent in October 2011.

Metro Athens continued to have the lowest area jobless rate at 6.2 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 11.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 8.7 percent in October, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in September. The jobless rate was 9.7 percent in October a year ago.

Statewide, there were 3,971,700 jobs in October, up 36,000, or nine-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,935,700 in September. During the year Georgia gained 68,000 jobs, or 1.7 percent, from 3,903,700 in October 2011.