Jackson County’s unemployment rate grew 0.3 percent to 4.4 percent in February from the previous month.

February’s rate, however, was still lower than the 4.5 percent rate in February a year ago and leaves the county with the 10th lowest rate in the state.

The lowest rate in the state in February belonged to Hamilton County at 3.7 percent, while Greene County had the highest at 8.8 percent. The state’s rate in February was 5.4, and the national rate was 5.2 percent.

In February, 513 more Jackson County residents reported having jobs than during the same month a year earlier. The number of unemployed in February was 968 or eight less than in February 2015. The number of employed in the county grew from 20,633 in February 2015 to 21,145 in February of this year.

Other counties in the region, their rates and rankings are Bartholomew 4.1 (89th); Monroe 5.5 (45th); Scott 5.9 (37th); Washington 6.0 (31st); Jennings 6.5 (21st); and Lawrence 7.7 (fifth).