Georgia Regional Commissions See Drop in April Unemployment Rates

Staff Report

Thursday, June 2nd, 2022

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that all Regional Commissions recorded low unemployment rates in April.

"As employers continue to fill their vacancies with qualified job seekers, we are encouraged to see many Georgians eager to return to the workforce," said Commissioner Mark Butler. "This dedication on the part of both employer and job seeker is what has enabled us to fill the demand for goods and services in record numbers across the state."

All Regional Commissions saw a drop in the labor force.

Employment was up in the Central Savannah River Regional Commission, Southern Georgia Regional Commission, and Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.

The number of initial claims were down in all Regional Commissions.

Please see a synopsis of each regional commission below:
o-t-m – over the month
o-t-y – over the year

Atlanta Regional Commission - Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 2.5 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 22,248 o-t-m and up 65,455 o-t-y, to 2,511,073.
The number of employed was down 831 o-t-m and up 109,234 o-t-y, to 2,448,117.
Initial claims were down 461 (-5%) o-t-m and down 57,338 (-87%) o-t-y, to 8,334.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services, and down o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 96,231 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Central Savannah River Regional Commission - Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, and Wilkes counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,265 o-t-m and down 3,179 o-t-y, to 209,085.
The number of employed was up 729 o-t-m and down 201 o-t-y, to 202,836.
Initial claims were down 13 (-1%) o-t-m and down 4,045 (-82%) o-t-y, to 884.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Health Care and Social Assistance and Construction, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 6,263 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Coastal Georgia Regional Commission - Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.4 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.1 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 5,167 o-t-m and up 3,326 o-t-y, to 345,169.
The number of employed was down 2,038 o-t-m and up 8,795 o-t-y, to 336,764.
Initial claims were down 59 (-6%) o-t-m and down 7,023 (-88%) o-t-y, to 968.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Other Services (except Public Administration) and Retail Trade, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 11,306 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Georgia Mountains Regional Commission - Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 1.8 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 4,480 o-t-m and up 6,804 o-t-y, to 367,244.
The number of employed was down 1,387 o-t-m and up 10,185 o-t-y, to 360,547.
Initial claims were down 99 (-16%) o-t-m, and down 5,164 (-91%) o-t-y, to 537.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Construction, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 4,900 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Heart of Georgia – Altamaha Regional Commission - Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.1 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,783 o-t-m and down 1,823 o-t-y, to 117,562.
The number of employed was down 619 o-t-m and down 169 o-t-y, to 114,286.
Initial claims were down 5 (-1%) o-t-m, and down 1,643 (-77%) o-t-y, to 490.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Manufacturing.
There were 1,234 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Middle Georgia Regional Commission - Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.6 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,738 o-t-m and up 241 o-t-y, to 220,440.
The number of employed was down 644 o-t-m and up 3,887 o-t-y, to 214,648.
Initial claims were down 78 (-10%) o-t-m and down 4,079 (-85%) o-t-y, to 734.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Transportation and Warehousing, and down o-t-y in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 6,146 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northeast Georgia Regional Commission - Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.1 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,881 o-t-m and up 9,822 o-t-y, to 324,452.
The number of employed was down 7 o-t-m and up 13,509 o-t-y, to 317,577.
Initial claims were down 65 (-8%) o-t-m and down 4,886 (-86%) o-t-y, to 803.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Accommodation and Food Services and Construction, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Trade.
There were 7,651 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northwest Georgia Regional Commission - Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 2.2 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 4,285 o-t-m and up 5,186 o-t-y, to 429,356.
The number of employed was down 598 o-t-m and up 10,075 o-t-y, to 419,877.
Initial claims were down 424 (-24%) o-t-m and down 7,966 (-86%) o-t-y, to 1,363.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Construction, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 5,848 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

River Valley Regional Commission - Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down one percentage point to 3.4 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 5.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,749 o-t-m and down 1,684 o-t-y, to 144,785.
The number of employed was down 189 o-t-m and up 1,361 o-t-y, to 139,929.
Initial claims were down 89 (-13%) o-t-m and down 3,452 (-85%) o-t-y, to 623.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 4,273 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Southern Georgia Regional Commission - Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, and Ware counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.4 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.1 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,649 o-t-m and down 2,093 o-t-y, to 179,962.
The number of employed was up 21 o-t-m and up 965 o-t-y, to 175,569.
Initial claims were down 85 (-13%) o-t-m and down 4,137 (-88%) o-t-y, to 557.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Retail Trade, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 1,307 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission - Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth counties.

The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.9 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.6 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,137 o-t-m and down 1,107 o-t-y, to 148,502.
The number of employed was up 269 o-t-m and up 1,565 o-t-y, to 144,221.
Initial claims were down 265 (-30%) o-t-m and down 3,135 (-84%) o-t-y, to 613.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Construction, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 2,053 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Three Rivers Regional Commission - Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties.
The April preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 2.3 percent o-t-m, an all-time low, the rate was 4.0 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,652 o-t-m and up 5,457 o-t-y, to 257,177.
The number of employed was down 356 o-t-m and up 9,541 o-t-y, to 251,185.
Initial claims were down 28 (-4%) o-t-m and down 4,739 (-86%) o-t-y, to 772.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Construction, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 3,803 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.