OHIO VALLEY — Unemployment numbers in Gallia County are on the decline, while numbers in Meigs County were up slightly from last month.

In July, Meigs County had the second highest unemployment rate in Ohio at 12.1 percent, up one-tenth of a percent from June.

While the unemployment rate has increased since May when the rate was 11.7, the lowest of 2012, it is down 2.5 percent from January of this year.

Gallia County currently sits at 8.3 percent unemployment, down half a percent after a slight jump in June. Unemployment in Gallia County is down 2.4 percent since January.

Pike County currently has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 12.9 percent.

Ten counties, including Meigs and Pike counties, currently have an unemployment rate of more than 10 percent. The majority of the ten counties — Scioto (11.0), Morgan (10.6), Clinton (10.5), Adams (10.5), Vinton (10.2), and Noble (10.2) counties — are in southern Ohio. Only Jefferson County (10.3) along the eastern border of the state, and Huron County (10.2) near Lake Erie have a greater that 10 percent unemployment rate outside of the southern portion of the state.

In January, 31 counties in Ohio had an unemployment rate of 10 percent or higher.

Mercer County has the lowest rate in the state at 4.4 percent, followed by Holmes County at 4.9 percent, Delaware County at 5.2 percent, Auglaize, Geauga, and Putnam counties at 5.7 percent, and Union County at 5.8 percent.

Washington County had the lowest unemployment rate in southeast Ohio at 6.1 percent.

Twenty-nine counties saw an increase in unemployment, while the unemployment rate remained consistent in 14 counties.

Gallia and Washington counties saw the largest decline in unemployment, with a half percent decline. Huron County had the largest increase at 1.1 percent.

Overall, the national unemployment rate is 8.6 percent, with the unemployment rate in Ohio at 7.4 percent.

Both the state and national unemployment are down from this time last year. In July 2011, national unemployment was at 9.3 percent, while Ohio unemployment was at 9.0 percent.