The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Hinesville’s unemployment rate for July was 6.9 percent, 0.2 percentage point from 6.7 percent in June. The rate in July 2014 was 8.6 percent.

The rate rose as the number of jobs in Metro Hinesville, which is defined as Liberty and Long counties, decreased by 300, or 1.5 percent, in July to 19,300. The job losses came in federal and local government, along with the service-related industries, such as trade, transportation and warehousing. The total number of jobs was unchanged at 19,300 from July 2014.

In the Coastal Georgia region, which includes Liberty and Long counties, the July unemployment rate was 6 percent, down from 6.1 percent in June. It was 7.2 percent in July 2014. All of the region’s numbers are identical to statewide unemployment figures.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.5 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent.