Colorado housing officials say the statewide apartment vacancy rate for the third quarter was 7.4 percent, up from 6.6 percent a year ago.

The increase came as statewide unemployment also rose.

A report released Thursday by the Department of Local Affairs' Division of Housing says that of 22 cities and towns surveyed, only Colorado Springs and Sterling reported fewer vacancies for July, August and September than in the same time last year.

Experts say the vacancy rate probably fell in Colorado Springs, near Fort Carson, due to recent troop arrivals.

Loveland had the lowest vacancy rate in the survey at 4.3 percent. The rate in Pueblo was 12 percent, up from 6.8 percent a year ago.