The state Labor Department says the unemployment rate in metro Atlanta rose to 9.6 percent in May, up six-tenths of a point from April.

It is just slightly less than the 9.7 percent unemployment rate statewide in May -- the highest rate ever recorded in Georgia.

The department said the highest unemployment rate in the state in May was in Dalton at 12.6 percent. The lowest was Athens at 6.9 percent.

The Labor Department reported that 463,883 unemployed Georgians were looking for work last month, an increase of 62 percent from May of 2008. The department said 157,544, or 34 percent, are receiving state unemployment insurance benefits and 90,000 are receiving federal extended benefits.