Northwest Georgia’s Unemployment Rate Falls To 7.1 Percent In September

Metro Dalton's Rate Drops To 9.0 Percent

  • Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region in September was 7.1 percent, down 1.0 percent from 8.1 percent in August. The rate in September of last year was 7.8 percent.

The rate dropped because there were 4,034 fewer unemployed people in the Northwest Georgia area in September, according to the federal government’s monthly household survey, and there were fewer new layoffs.

There were 3,116 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in September, a decrease of 827 or 21 percent, from 3,943 in August. Of the 827 decline in claims, 678, or 82 percent, were in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down 4.2 percent from the 3,251 filed in September 2013.

Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for September was 9.0 percent, down 1.7 percent from 10.7 percent in August. The rate in September of last year was 9.6 percent.

The rate dropped because there were 1,053 fewer unemployed people in the Dalton area in September, according to the federal government’s monthly household survey, and there were fewer new layoffs.

While the rate decreased, Metro Dalton lost 100 jobs in September, as the total number of jobs dropped to 63,900 from 64,000 in August. The losses came mostly in textile manufacturing and professional and business services. Jobs were unchanged over the year at 63,900.

Also, there were 1,140 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in September, a decrease of 744, or 39.5 percent, from 1,884 in August. Of the 744 decline in claims, 666, or 89.5 percent, were in manufacturing.  Over the year, claims were up 37.2 percent from the 831 filed in September 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.5 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for September was 7.9 percent, down from 8.1 percent in August. It was 8.0 percent in September 2013.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov

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