The latest unemployment numbers have Elkhart County inching up, but still down compared to a year ago.

January’s jobless rate numbers reflected an increase from 4.9 percent to 5.5 percent.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says that’s still below the January 2014 rate of 5.8.

The number of people employed in the county actually rose during the month by more than 500, however the labor force grew by 1300.

The labor force of nearly 103,000 is the largest in Elkhart County since July of 2007.

Of the five Indiana counties around Elkhart, only LaGrange had a lower rate in January, at 5.1. St. Joe was highest in the area at 7.3 percent.

The national rate was 6.1 percent.