Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Southern Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased in August. 

Additionally, Southern Georgia saw a monthly increase in employed residents and a monthly decrease in initial claims for August.

“It is very promising that we continue to see the unemployment rate drop month after month, while the job market gets stronger, evoking positive news for Georgia’s economy,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The state as a whole is leading the nation in competitive unemployment rates, coming in at 7^th lowest.” 

In Southern Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased by 1.9 percentage points, dropping the rate to 4.6 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.8 percent. 

The labor force decreased in August by 2,114. The August total was 171,164. That number is down by 7,201 from the total from August 2019. 

Southern Georgia ended August with 163,248 employed residents.  The number increased by 1,220 in August but was down 8,290 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 51 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 1,107 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 1,830 active job postings in Southern Georgia for August.

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