The Georgia Department of Labor announced on Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region in October was 5.6 percent, unchanged from September. The rate in October 2014 was 6.8 percent.
While the rate was unchanged, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 741, or 29.1 percent, to 3,291 in October. Most of the increase was due to temporary layoffs in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 216, or 6.2 percent, from 3,507 in October 2014.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for October was 6.4 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.1 percent in September. The rate in October 2014 was 7.7 percent.
The rate rose as the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 217, or 23.8 percent, to 1,127 in October. Most of the increase was due to temporary layoffs in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 170, or 13.1 percent, from 1,297 in October 2014.
Also, the number of jobs in Dalton decreased by 200, or 0.3 percent, in October to 68,300. The job losses came mostly in textile manufacturing.
However, over the year, Dalton gained 1,000 jobs, a growth rate of 1.5 percent, from 67,300 in October 2014. Most of the job growth came in manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.3 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.7 percent, down from 5.8 percent in September. It was 6.8 percent in October 2014.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available atwww.dol.georgia.gov.