The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has released unemployment numbers for July.
In Montezuma County, the unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was 8.3 percent, down slightly from 8.8 percent in June. Out of a labor force of 13, 641, there were 1,131 people out of work. The number is unchanged from last year.
Dolores County finally lifted from being the county with the highest number of unemployed residents in Colorado barely. The unemployment rate is still high, 13 percent, but Saguache County has more people out of work at 13.2 percent. Numbers for both counties changed significantly from last year at the same time when Dolores County had a 15.8 percent unemployment rate and Saguache County had a 10.1 percent rate. In comparison though, Saguache County has a bigger labor force 3,223, compared to 1,038 in Dolores County.
The states overall unemployment rate is 8.5 percent, down slightly from 8.8 percent in June and from July 2010.
The national rate stands at 9.1 percent, down from 9.5 percent at the same time last year.