COLUMBUS — Unemployment rates in Gallia and Meigs counties increased by at least 1 percent in December 2009, according to the latest statistics released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS).

The unemployment rate in Gallia County increased by 1.2 points in December to 10.4 percent, compared to November’s figure of 9.2 percent. Some 1,500 Gallia Countians are currently out of work. That’s out of a total labor force of 14,200 residents.

Gallia County’s jobless rate in December 2008 was just 6.8 percent.

Meigs County’s jobless figure jumped from 14.8 percent in November to 15.8 percent in December. According to the current civilian labor force estimate from DJFS, about 1,500 Meigs County residents are without jobs out of a total labor force of 9,200.

Meigs County’s unemployment rate was 11.4 percent in December 2008.

Gallia and Meigs aren’t the only counties in southeastern Ohio saddled with double-digit unemployment. Morgan (17.5 percent), Pike (16.7 percent), Adams (15.8 percent), Perry (14.3 percent), Vinton (14.2 percent), Scioto (13.6 percent), Ross (13.0 percent), Hocking (12.1 percent), Jackson (11.7 percent) and Washington (10.0 percent) each reported double-digit jobless rates in December.

Lawrence (8.0 percent) and Athens (9.2 percent) reported the lowest unemployment figures in the region. Lawrence County is one of only four counties statewide whose jobless rate was 8.0 percent or lower.

Morgan County recorded the highest unemployment rate in Ohio, while Holmes County enjoyed the lowest jobless figure, 7.4 percent.

The state jobless rate for December was 10.9 percent, up from 10.6 percent in November. The U.S. unemployment rate for December was 10.0 percent, unchanged from November.

(On the Internet: Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services, jfs.ohio.gov)