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More residents were looking for work in Butler County in July compared to previous months, a state agency announced.

The county's unemployment rate increased to 6.7 percent in July from 6.2 percent in June, according to figures released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

In Warren County, the jobless rate also increased from 5.6 percent in June to 6 percent in July, the agency reported.

Overall, both counties are still below Ohio's rate, which jumped from 6.6 percent to 7.2 percent.

Several seasonal factors played a role in local figures, according to state officials, including temporary layoffs of nonteachers at schools as well as reduced trade, transportation and utilities jobs, which lowered employment by 9,600 positions.

Continued cuts in manufacturing, which cost Ohio at least 300 jobs last month, continue to take their toll. At the end of July, Mohawk Fine Papers in Hamilton announced it would lay off 27 workers to combat increasing costs. Last week, Graphic Packaging closed its Middletown folding carton plant, cutting 132 jobs.

Since the area is still heavily dependent on manufacturing, Middletown Economic Director Bill Murphy said he wouldn't be surprised "to see it increase before it decreases again."

But the area is trying to broaden its business portfolio, which will help, said Hamilton economic specialist Chris Xeil Lyons of the overall figures.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.