The number of unemployed county residents continued to increase in March and more than doubled from the same month last year, data released this week shows.

The county’s jobless rate jumped from 2.4 percent in March 2008 to 5.1 percent in March 2009. It was 4.8 percent in February 2009.

“There were increases across every sector,” said David Bullard, senior economist with the Wyoming Department of Employment.

Teton County lost 363 jobs from March 2008 to March 2009. According to the report, there were 697 unemployed people in March 2009, compared with 334 in March 2008.

There were 662 unemployed workers in Teton County in February.

Bullard said Teton County is faring better than other communities but its rate is still larger than the statewide rate.

Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 3.9 in February to 4.5 percent in March, its highest level since August 2003.

The U.S. rate was 8.5 percent.

Other counties’ unemployment rates also increased from February to March. The highest rates were in Big Horn, which reported 8.7 percent, Lincoln, with 8 percent and Fremont, with 7 percent. Sublette County posted the lowest unemployment rate, 3.3 percent.

April data will be released May 27.

“In Teton County, what we see historically is unemployment increased quite a bit in April,” Bullard said. “So we’ll have to wait and see what happens this year.”

April, the off-season in Jackson, often has fewer jobs. The ski resorts are closed, and summer tourism hasn’t picked up.