Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Northwest Georgia set a record for employed residents in February.

In the Northwest Georgia region, all critical indicators remained positive in February, preliminary numbers show.

In the region, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points in February, reaching 3.6 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.1 percent.

The labor force in Northwest Georgia increased by 2,225 in February, bringing the total to 426,738. The number has risen by 5,380 when compared to the same month a year ago.

Northwest Georgia gained 2,795 employed residents in February, bringing the total to 411,583, an all-time high. The number is up 7,583 for the year.

Claims for unemployment insurance were down by about 76 percent in February. They were down by about 44 percent when compared to the same month a year ago.