The unemployment rate in DeKalb County dropped to 8.4 percent for February.The rate was down slightly from 8.6 percent for January, and down sharply from the 10.1 percent rate recorded in February 2011.The local labor force stood at 9,800 in February.A total of 8,970 of those people were employed and 830 found themselves out of work.DeKalb's February rate was the fourth lowest among the 14 Upper Cumberland counties.Putnam County rang in with the lowest regional rate, at 7.5 percent, while Cannon registered a 7.8 percent rate.Macon County’s 8.1 percent rate was slightly lower than DeKalb’s, while Smith County’s number came in at a slightly higher 8.9 percent.Fentress County had a 9.5 percent rate, while Overton’s was 9.7 percent, and Warren County had a 9.8 percent rate.Cumberland County’s 10.4 percent rate put them slightly ahead of Jackson, who had a rate of 10.7 percent, and Clay, with an 11 percent rate.White County’s rate was at 11.1 percent, Van Buren had an 11.9 percent rate, and Pickett County reported a whopping 15.9 percent rate. County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for February show the rate decreased in 75 counties, increased in 10 counties, and remained the same in 10 counties.According to Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Karla Davis, the state’s unemployment rate for February fell to 8.0 percent, down from the January revised rate of 8.2 percent.The national unemployment rate for February 2012 was at 8.3 percent, unchanged from the January rate.The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not.