(KLZA)-- The Nebraska unemployment rate was slightly higher in July at 2 percent which was a tenth of a point higher than in June. Nebraska is tied with Utah and New Hampshire with the second best unemployment rate in the country.

Nearly all the area counties had higher jobless figures in July than in June.

Richardson and Nemaha counties have the best unemployment figures in Southeast Nebraska at just 2.3 percent. Nemaha County was the only area county with a decrease in unemployment, down 3-tenths of a point.

Otoe County had a jobless figure of 2.5 percent; Pawnee County was up nearly a full percentage point for the month at 2.7 percent. The rate in Johnson County was 3.3 percent and in Gage County the unemployment figure was up 1.4 percent to 3.9 percent.

Minnesota now has the best unemployment rate in the country at 1.8 percent.

Kansas is #8 at 2.4 percent followed by Iowa and Missouri at 2.5 percent.

Nationwide in July the jobless rate was 3.5 percent which is down slightly from June but well below the 5.4 percent a year ago.