Patrick County’s June unemployment rate continued to trend upwards, according to the most recent data released by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).

At 4.5 percent in June, the local unemployment rate rose from 4.3 percent in May and 3.9 percent in April.

VEC data suggested that 7,676 of the 8,036 labor force in Patrick County were employed, with 360 seeking jobs.

The labor force includes the number of people employed, plus the number of job seekers.

Patrick’s unemployment rate in March was 4.3 percent. The January rate was 4.7 percent and February’s rate was 4.6 percent.

Henry County’s unemployment rate also inched up slightly, from 5.2 percent to 5.3 percent, data suggested.

The 22,173 labor force in Henry County included 21,000 working and 1,173 seeking jobs, VEC data showed.

The City of Martinsville’s unemployment rate jumped from 6.8 percent in May to 7.3 percent in June, according to VEC data.

In Martinsville, 7,676 of the labor force of 8,036 were employed, and 360 were seeking jobs, VEC data suggested.