HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate rose in August for the first time since January.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that Pennsylvania’s rate rose last month to 7.7 percent from 7.5 percent.

The number of people who say they are employed dropped by about 26,000, remaining just above 6 million, while the number of people who say they are unemployed but are seeking work rose by almost 9,000 to just more than 500,000.

The national unemployment rate was 7.3 percent.

Pennsylvania’s rate hit a post-recession peak of 8.7 percent in early 2010.