Unemployment rate in Freestone county jumped to five percent in January, a level not seen since 2004, figures released last week by Texas Workforce Commission show.

The numbers show that out of a workforce of 10,379 persons in the county, 518 are without jobs.

In December 2008, the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, of which 453 persons were jobless out of a workforce of 10,328.

The last time the Freestone county unemployment rate climbed to five percent was in July 2004.

Statewide, the unemployment rate rose to 6.4 percent in January, while the United States unemployment rate climbed to 7.6 percent.

"The national crisis is beginning to have a serious, negative impact on our Texas economy," TWC chairman Tom Pauken says.

Texas' seasonally adjusted nonagricultural employment fell by 75,800 jobs in January.

Industry losses hit manufacturing and trade, transporation and utilities sectors the hardest, down 38,100 and 26,000 jobs. Trade, transporation and utilities includes wholesale and retail trades, air and rail transportation and transmission of electric power and natural gas.

"Although the unemployment rate in Texas is lower than in other parts of the country, it has gone up in recent months and we are concerned," TWC labor commissioner Ronny congleton says.

Even with a rise of more than half a percent in its unemployment rate, Freestone county posts the lowest jobless rate in the area.

Limestone county shows unemployment in January at 5.7 percent—-out of a workforce of 10,817, 615 persons are without job. December rate was 4.9 percent.

Highest unemployment rate, 7.5 percent, is in Anderson county where 1,560 workers are jobless from a total labor force of 20,673. An unemployment rate of 6.1 percent was posted for December.

Leon county comes in at 5.8 percent for January, with 451 persons unemployment from a workforce of 7,731. Unemployment rate in Leon county was 4.7 percent in December.

The unemployment rate in Navarro county climbed more than a percentage point, from six percent in December to 7.1 percent in January. The new rate shows that 1,505 persons are jobless out of a workforce of 21,162.

The Midland metropolitan area experienced the lowest unemployment rate in Texas at 3.8 percent.