State Regional Commissions See Dip in November Unemployment Rates

Staff Report

Thursday, January 5th, 2023

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that all Regional Commissions recorded a decrease in unemployment rates in October.

"We are seeing job numbers continue to rise across the state as Georgians secure employment,” said Commissioner Butler. “Unemployment rates also dropped in all of our regional commissions in November as we entered the holiday employment period.”

Employment rose in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Central Savannah River Regional Commission, Middle Georgia Regional Commission, and Northeast Georgia Regional Commission.

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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down two-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.0 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 4,468 o-t-m and up 161,032 o-t-y, to 2,648,972.
The number of employed was up 1,026 o-t-m and up 163,510 o-t-y, to 2,577,079.
Initial claims were up 1,683 (21%) o-t-m and up 2,241 (30%) o-t-y, to 9,824.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Information, and up o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.
There were 66,217 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 457 o-t-m and down 1,030 o-t-y, to 207,586.
The number of employed was up 989 o-t-m and down 1,337 o-t-y, to 200,271.
Initial claims were up 187 (21%) o-t-m and up 266 (32%) o-t-y, to 1,096.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Construction.
There were 5,617 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Coastal Georgia Regional Commission - Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.
The November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,373 o-t-m and down 1,452 o-t-y, to 342,405.
The number of employed was down 1,369 o-t-m and down 879 o-t-y, to 332,999.
Initial claims were up 140 (15%) o-t-m and up 210 (24%) o-t-y, to 1,093.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation.
There were 9,389 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 2.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.2 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,908 o-t-m and down 130,006 o-t-y, to 237,213.
The number of employed was down 1,114 o-t-m and down 127,569 o-t-y, to 231,552.
Initial claims were up 259 (42%) o-t-m, and up 330 (61%) o-t-y, to 870.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 3,661 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down one-tenth to 3.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.2 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 717 o-t-m and down 1,187 o-t-y, to 116,766.
The number of employed was down 485 o-t-m and down 1,390 o-t-y, to 112,836.
Initial claims were up 252 (31%) o-t-m, and up 411 (62%) o-t-y, to 1,075.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 1,037 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

The November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.1 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 30 o-t-m and down 2,774 o-t-y, to 219,382.
The number of employed was up 679 o-t-m and down 2,798 o-t-y, to 212,553.
Initial claims were down 163 (-14%) o-t-m and up 54 (6%) o-t-y, to 975.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Transportation and Warehousing and Manufacturing, and up o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Construction.
There were 4,708 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

The November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 2.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 271 o-t-m and up 5,411 o-t-y, to 327,950.
The number of employed was up 604 o-t-m and up 5,198 o-t-y, to 319,645.
Initial claims were up 152 (21%) o-t-m and up 160 (22%) o-t-y, to 878.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Construction, and up o-t-y in Construction and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 6,084 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,083 o-t-m and up 5 o-t-y, to 428,723.
The number of employed was down 596 o-t-m and down 830 o-t-y, to 417,052.
Initial claims were up 1,372 (40%) o-t-m and up 3,652 (318%) o-t-y, to 4,799.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services and up o-t-y in Wholesale Construction and Manufacturing.
There were 4,768 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 858 o-t-m and down 1,646 o-t-y, to 143,341.
The number of employed was down 475 o-t-m and down 1,589 o-t-y, to 137,858.
Initial claims were up 27 (4%) o-t-m and down 9 (-1%) o-t-y, to 756.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Manufacturing.
There were 3,396 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,199 o-t-m and down 1,775 o-t-y, to 178,800.
The number of employed was down 622 o-t-m and down 2,000 o-t-y, to 173,517.
Initial claims were up 218 (29%) o-t-m and up 509 (108%) o-t-y, to 979.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Health Care and Social Assistance, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Construction.
There were 897 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 November preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,195 o-t-m and down 640 o-t-y, to 146,661.
The number of employed was down 836 o-t-m and down 569 o-t-y, to 141,903.
Initial claims were up 39 (7%) o-t-m and down 51 (-8%) o-t-y, to 616.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Wholesale Trade and Health Care and Social Assistance and down o-t-y in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services and Retail Trade.
There were 1,551 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Three Rivers Regional Commission - Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties.

The November preliminary unemployment rate was down two-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 623 o-t-m and up 2,833 o-t-y, to 258,289.
The number of employed was down 63 o-t-m and up 3,056 o-t-y, to 251,338.
Initial claims were up 210 (19%) o-t-m and up 562 (73%) o-t-y, to 1,334.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 3,433 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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