TOPEKA – The Unemployment numbers in Hutchinson stayed pretty much the same in July as they did in June according to the latest figures from the Kansas Department of Labor. According to those numbers, Hutchinson’s rate is at 7.3 %, down slightly from June when it was at 7.4%, and lower then the 7.6% in July of 2010. They show that 1-thousand, 585-residents in the city are looking for work, while just over 20-thousand had jobs.

Reno County’s unemployment rate is also down slightly at 6%, down from 6.1% in June and 6.2% in July of last year. 2-thousand, 134 residents in the county are out of work, most of those coming from Hutchinson.

Other area counties show no dramatic changes. Harvey County stayed the same at 6.6%, Kingman went up slightly at 5.3%, McPherson County, up slightly from 4.8% in June to 4.9% in July.

Pratt County’s went from 4.7% in June to 5 % in July, Rice County from 5.3 to 5.4%, Stafford County from 5.4 to 5.8% in July. Sedgwick County dropped slightly from 8.1% in June to 8 % in July.

The Department of Labor says statewide, there was gain of 2,400 private sector jobs over the month of July. Overall, however, Kansas lost 18,600 nonfarm jobs over the month, a 1.4 percent decrease.

The July 2011 unemployment rate in Kansas was 6.8 up from 6.7 % in June, but down from 7.3% in July 2010.

The July seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5, down from 6.6 % in June and down from 7 % in July of last year.