The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region declined to 8.1 percent in April, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 8.3 percent in March. The rate was 9.0 percent in April a year ago.
The rate declined because the number of unemployed people decreased by 872 to 33,169, down from 34,041 in March. The number of unemployed people was down by 3,772, from 36,941 in April 2012.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate declined to 10.2 percent in April, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 10.3 percent in March. The rate was 11.1 percent in April a year ago.
The rate declined as the number of jobs in metro Dalton increased by 300 to 63,400, up from 63,100 in March. Most of the growth came in the manufacturing of textile mill products, retail trade, and professional and business services. Over-the-year, metro Dalton has lost 500 jobs, mostly in textiles.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region/metro Dalton had the highest at 10.3 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 8.2 percent, down from 8.4 percent in March. The rate was 9.1 percent in April a year ago.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us
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