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

"We continue to see a steady rise in job creation and demand by employers to fill open positions,” said Commissioner Mark Butler. “This strong growth has led to Georgia having the fewest unemployed residents in over 20 years."

The labor force rose in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Heart of Georgia Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, River Valley Regional Commission, Southern Georgia Regional Commission, Southwest Georgia Regional Commission, and Three Rivers Regional Commission.

Employment rose in all Regional Commissions.

Claims dropped in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Central Savannah River Regional Commission, Coastal Georgia Regional Commission, Heart of Georgia Regional Commission, Middle Georgia Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, River Valley Regional Commission, Southern Georgia Regional Commission, Southwest Georgia Regional Commission, and Three Rivers 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 10,625 o-t-m and up 182,225 o-t-y, to 2,646,667.
The number of employed was up 21,969 o-t-m and up 199,961 o-t-y, to 2,578,752.
Initial claims were down 2,361 (-21%) o-t-m and down 2,311 (-21%) o-t-y, to 8,667.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 77,543 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 3.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 520 o-t-m and down 2,166 o-t-y, to 206,561.
The number of employed was up 474 o-t-m and down 1,146 o-t-y, to 199,607.
Initial claims were down 204 (-16%) o-t-m and down 175 (-14%) o-t-y, to 1,053.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 5,501 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

The September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 387 o-t-m and up 1,897 o-t-y, to 343,176.
The number of employed was up 1,349 o-t-m and up 4,286 o-t-y, to 334,349.
Initial claims were down 149 (-13%) o-t-m and down 443 (-30%) o-t-y, to 1,045.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Health Care and Social Assistance, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Health Care and Social Assistance.
There were 9,800 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 1,265 o-t-m and down 125,255 o-t-y, to 238,458.
The number of employed was up 2,418 o-t-m and down 121,864 o-t-y, to 233,224.
Initial claims were up 8 (1%) o-t-m, and up 101 (16%) o-t-y, to 725.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Wholesale Trade, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Wholesale Trade.
There were 3,752 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.6 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 468 o-t-m and down 714 o-t-y, to 116,966.
The number of employed was up 1,165 o-t-m and down 206 o-t-y, to 113,267.
Initial claims were down 194 (-26%) o-t-m, and down 148 (-21%) o-t-y, to 548.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Construction and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Health Care and Social Assistance.
There were 1,127 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

The September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.9 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 356 o-t-m and down 276 o-t-y, to 219,513.
The number of employed was up 763 o-t-m and up 812 o-t-y, to 213,047.
Initial claims were down 191 (-12%) o-t-m and up 178 (14%) o-t-y, to 1,442.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Trade, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 5,568 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

The September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.3 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 1,942 o-t-m and up 7,547 o-t-y, to 326,214.
The number of employed was up 3,532 o-t-m and up 9,057 o-t-y, to 318,578.
Initial claims were down 53 (-5%) o-t-m and down 162 (-15%) o-t-y, to 947.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Information, and down o-t-y in Construction and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 6,488 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 1,305 o-t-m and up 3,673 o-t-y, to 429,483.
The number of employed was up 3,315 o-t-m and up 5,318 o-t-y, to 418,944.
Initial claims were up 281 (11%) o-t-m and up 610 (28%) o-t-y, to 2,789.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and up o-t-y in Wholesale Trade and Manufacturing.
There were 5,325 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 3.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 76 o-t-m and down 1,000 o-t-y, to 143,566.
The number of employed was up 1,101 o-t-m and up 308 o-t-y, to 138,339.
Initial claims were down 584 (-38%) o-t-m and down 987 (-51%) o-t-y, to 952.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 3,678 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.2 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 794 o-t-m and down 408 o-t-y, to 178,793.
The number of employed was up 1,800 o-t-m and up 422 o-t-y, to 173,970.
Initial claims were down 364 (-36%) o-t-m and down 193 (-23%) o-t-y, to 650.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Manufacturing.
There were 1,073 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 3.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 987 o-t-m and up 247 o-t-y, to 147,070.
The number of employed was up 2,035 o-t-m and up 1,199 o-t-y, to 142,516.
Initial claims were down 488 (-38%) o-t-m and down 145 (-15%) o-t-y, to 794.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Retail Trade.
There were 1,970 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

The September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 732 o-t-m and up 4,827 o-t-y, to 257,991.
The number of employed was up 2,154 o-t-m and up 6,649 o-t-y, to 251,580.
Initial claims were down 432 (-29%) o-t-m and down 1,096 (-51%) o-t-y, to 1,069.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 3,830 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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