The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the preliminary unemployment rate in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) rose to 9.7 percent in December, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 9.6 percent in November. The jobless rate in the CSRA in December a year ago was 9.9 percent.

Metro Athens and Warner Robins had the lowest area rate at 7.3 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 12.1 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in December for the third straight month, dropping to 9.7 percent, down from a revised 9.8 percent in November. The jobless rate was 10.4 percent in December a year ago.

The state rate declined because 11,500 Georgians went back to work in December.