The number of job hunters in Hawaii increased last month as 1,150 people joined the ranks of the unemployed and the state's jobless rate rose to 7.2 percent.

Figures released by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations show there were 46,900 unemployed workers in the Islands last month, as an economic downturn continues to add to jobless rolls.

Hawaii's seasonally adjusted joblessness has been around the 7 percent range since March, briefly dipping to 6.9 percent in April and reaching a more than three-decade high of 7.4 percent in May.

Some economists believe unemployment will get worse even as the economy starts to improve because employers are hesitant to take on new workers until there are solid signs that gains are taking place. Some forecasts show the employment situation will persist into next year.

Still, Hawaii's unemployment was below the 9.8 percent national average in September. Some states such as Michigan, at 15.3 percent, are experiencing double-digit joblessness. California, which is Hawaii's major tourism market, was at 12.2 percent in September.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Hawaii was one of 23 states and the District of Columbia where the rate increased over August's jobless figure. It said 19 states had rate decreases, while eight had no change.

All states had more people looking for jobs compared to September 2008. Hawaii's rate jumped from 4.4 percent a year earlier.

In all, 46,900 people were deemed to be unemployed, as job losses were reported in almost every sector. There was a slight increase in professional, scientific and technological service jobs, while employment held steady in health care and state and county government .

A total of 600,200 people were reported as having jobs in the state.

Other figures reported yesterday show nonseasonally adjusted unemployment increased on all islands compared to a year earlier, except for Molokai.

• Honolulu's jobless rate grew to 6.3 percent from 4.1 percent in September 2008.

• Unemployment more than doubled on Kauai and Länai, which were at 9.6 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively.

• Hawaii County's rate of 10.8 percent was 4.2 percentage points higher than a year earlier.

• Maui's rate was 9.5 percent. Twelve months earlier it was 5.1 percent.

• Molokai showed improvement at a rate of 13.9 percent. In September 2008 the rate had been 14.3 percent.

The state noted the August jobless percentage had been revised downward. It initially reported a 7.2 percent unemployment rate for Hawaii in August, but revised it downward to 7.1 percent in the current report.