St. Lawrence County's unemployment rate rose slightly in February from the month before, according to the New York State Department of Labor.

The February rate is 9.7 percent; for January it was 9.5 percent.

But this represents a 1.1 percent decrease in the unemployment rate from February 2013, when it was 10.8 percent.

DOL statistics show that all counties outside of major labor areas in February 2014 have seen, on average, their unemployment rate drop by 1.4 percent from their numbers for the same month last year.

The total number in St. Lawrence County receiving unemployment benefits for February 2014 is 4,700, compared to 5,300 in the same month last year.

To our west in Jefferson County, the unemployment rate dropped by 1.2 percent, from 10.5 percent in February 2013 to 9.7 percent in February 2014.

To our east in Franklin County, the rate dropped 1.5 percent from 10.9 percent in February 2013 to 9.4 percent in February 2014.

The numbers reported for February 2014 are considered preliminary and are not yet adjusted by the DOL to compensate for seasonal variations.