Nov. 5--Northumberland County's unemployment rate rose in September to its highest percentage so far in 2009, according to Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

The latest data places the county unemployment rate at 10.4 percent, up .3 percent since August, and above a 17-year high of 10.3 percent reached in 1992. The numbers have more than doubled since October 2007, when only 5.1 percent of the county residents were out of work. Since October 2008, the county unemployment rate has risen more than 2.5 percent.

Last month, DLI reported August's unemployment rate was 10.2 percent. However, the latest rate for that month, released last week, reported the amount at 10.1 percent.

Northumberland County remains in the bottom 16 counties in the state when it comes to unemployment, ranking 52 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Schuylkill is the only county adjacent to Northumberland that has a higher unemployment rate -- 10.8 percent, up a half percent from the month before.

Jobless rates in other neighboring counties are: Montour, 6.4 percent; Dauphin, 8.4 percent; Juniata, 8.5 percent; Perry, 8.8 percent; Columbia, 9.3 percent; Snyder, 9.5 percent; Union, 9.5 percent, and Lycoming, 10 percent.

Of those counties, only the jobless rate in Montour decreased. Snyder County had the largest jump, up .7 percentage points from last month.

Centre County, at 6.1 percent, holds the lowest jobless rate in Pennsylvania. Cameron County, at 17 percent, has the highest.

Nineteen counties are currently 10 percent or higher.

Northumberland County's unemployment rate remains above both state and national averages, at 8.3 percent and 9.5, respectively.

State and national rates have not been seasonally adjusted and totals reflect all people without work, including college students who were home on break.

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