Coastal Georgia lowers unemployment rate in September

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Coastal Georgia region lowered its unemployment rate in September.

Other key measures trended negatively in September across the 10-county region, preliminary numbers showed.

“Georgia had an amazing month in September,” said Butler. “More than half of our regions set a record for lowest unemployment rate ever.  Many of our counties also posted similar numbers. Those are very strong results.”

Nationally, the unemployment rate dropped 0.2 percentage points in September to 3.5 percent. The nation also grew its labor force, increased the number of employed residents and added more 130,000 jobs.

Georgia’s unemployment rate also fell 0.1 percentage points in September to reach 3.5 percent.  A year ago, Georgia’s unemployment rate sat at 3.7 percent. The state’s all-time low of 3.4 percent was set in December 2000.

Rates fell across all 12 of Georgia’s planning regions. Seven set a record for lowest rates ever.

In Coastal Georgia, the unemployment rate dropped 0.5 percentage points in September, settling at 3.2 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.5 percent.

The labor force in Coastal Georgia decreased by 2,028 in September, bringing the total to 330,370. The number has decreased by 1,648 when compared to the same month a year ago.

Coastal Georgia lost 299 employed residents in September, bringing the total to 319,761. The number is down 640 for the year.

Claims for unemployment insurance were up by 57 percent in September. They were up by about 60 percent when compared to the same month a year ago.

The Coastal region includes Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 5,267 active job postings in Coastal Georgia for September.