Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Northwest Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased in August.

Additionally, Northwest Georgia saw a monthly a monthly decrease in initial claims for August.

“It is very promising that we continue to see the unemployment rate drop month after month, while the job market gets stronger, evoking positive news for Georgia’s economy,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The state as a whole is leading the nation in competitive unemployment rates, coming in at 7^th lowest.” 

In Northwest Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased by 2 percentage points, dropping the rate to 4.5 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.6 percent. 

The labor force decreased in August by 10,096. The August total was 401,791. That number is down by 17,164 from the total from August 2019. 

Northwest Georgia ended August with 383,544 employed residents.  The number decreased by 1,594 in August but was down 20,385 as compared to last year. 

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 53 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 697 percent. 

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 4,777 active job postings in Northwest Georgia for August.