Like 94 out of 95 Tennessee counties, Monroe County saw its unemployment rate increase during January.

Monroe County's jobless rate rose from 9.9 percent in December to 11. 1 percent on the latest report for January. That rate is still better than a 12 percent jobless rate at this time last year.

County unemployment rates for January released Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Labor, show the rate decreased in only one county (Polk) and increased in 94 primarily due to normal seasonal employment reductions.  County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted and reflect seasonal employment changes from month to month, according to the Department of Labor.

McMinn County's jobless rate came in at 9.5 percent while Loudon County,close to the Knoxville job market, reported a 7.1 percent unemployment rate.

Tennessee's unemployment rate for January 2013 was 7.7 percent, which increased one tenth of one percentage point from the December 2012 revised rate of 7.6 percent. The national unemployment rate for January 2013 was 7.9 percent, and also increased by one tenth of one percent from the previous month.