BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Unemployment saw another dip statewide, but local numbers are going the other direction.

Preliminary numbers from the Washington State Employment Security Department show Whatcom County’s unemployment rate went up from 3.1 percent in June to 3.4 percent in July.

That equates to almost 4,000 people receiving unemployment benefits last month.

Those numbers still remain slightly below the state unemployment rate of 3.6 percent for July, down a tenth of a percentage point from June.

Skagit County unemployment also saw a slight uptick, rising from 3.3 percent in June to 3.6 percent in July.