Metro Gainesville’s unemployment rate rose to 6.5 percent in June, the Georgia Department of Labor announced today.

The jobless rate is up four-tenths of a percentage point from 6.1 percent in May. It was 7.2 percent in June a year ago.

The rate increased because of seasonal factors, such as the summer job loss among non-contract school workers and an increase in the labor force as graduates and students entered the job market, the Labor Department reported.

There were 79,000 jobs in Gainesville in June, down by 400, or 0.5 percent, from 79,400 in May. Most of the loss came in state education and wholesale trade, transportation, and warehousing.

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 1,900 jobs, or 2.5 percent, from 77,100 in June 2013. The primary growth was in local government, trade and transportation, and the good-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

Also, there were 591 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in June, an increase of 167, or 39.4 percent, from 424 in May. Most of the increase in claims came in administrative and support services. There were 667 claims filed in June 2013.

The labor force grew by 306, up to 92,933 from 92,627 in May.

The unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region increased to 6.7 percent in June, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.4 percent in May. The rate was 7.6 percent in June a year ago.

Statewide, metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.4 percent.

Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 7.4 percent, up from 7.2 percent in May. The rate was 8.4 percent in May a year ago.